Fifteen Years
by Lsquared2
Summary: Fifteen years later the Curtis brothers are reunited in Tulsa for a wedding no one will soon forget. (New version of Past Meets Present)
1. Chapter 1

A/N-

Just a quick note before you start reading this. This is a redone version of Past Meets Present, awhile back I had gone back and re-read it along with the reviews and the private messages I had received. I realized pretty quickly that there was a lot of things I would change if I could go back and rewrite it. Instead of taking Past Meets Present apart and redoing it part by part I decided to just completely redo it. Please read this with an open mind if you are a fan of the original, there have been characters that have been replaced by others, certain storylines have been redone, and other things have been tweaked. I hope you enjoy it as much as you did the original. Any reviews, favorites and follows are greatly appreciated. If you have any feedback or something you loved in the original that you want to see in the redo please drop me a private message and I'll do my best to make sure it makes it in. Thank you so much to everyone who volunteered to read this and gave me such positive feedback. Happy reading!

March

-Pony-

As soon as I get off the phone I go back outside grabbing the stack of mail out of the box, I have a really bad habit of letting it pile up, if Ryleigh doesn't check it, it will stay there for a week sometimes longer. I sort through the pile of junk mail and bills, until I find what I'm looking for. Even if I hadn't known what it was I would have recognized the square envelope as a wedding invitation. Being twenty-nine all my friends are either married or getting married, the past few years have been a constant stream of invitations and weddings. Tossing the other mail aside I rip it open, reading it then chuckling to myself. I had sworn the phone call from Two-Bit had been a joke, one of his pranks it had to be. But no he's actually getting married to Marcia, I hadn't even known they had been together. In all honesty I'm really bad about keeping in touch with people back home besides Darry and his wife Kate, I really don't talk to anyone. Occasionally Two-Bit but that's about it. Actually come to think of it I haven't so much as stepped foot into the state of Oklahoma since I left for Boston almost fifteen years ago, I really have no reason too. Soda had enlisted as soon as he was old enough, he had briefly gotten shipped overseas but never saw any real action. He was back in Tulsa a few years later by the time he got back I was already attending Harvard. Soda hung around Tulsa for a few years helping Darry get his business off and running and with some nudging from Kate went back and got his GED. When one of his army buddies called asking Soda if he'd be interested in helping manage a bar he had just opened in Chicago, Soda went and has been there ever since. Kate and Darry had gone to the courthouse and gotten married, and since then no reasons to go back have come up. I glance at my watch and then dial Darry and Kate's number. After a ring or two Kate answers, "Hello?" Kate and Darry dated all through high school, when mom and dad died Darry had broken it off with her, he already had to much on his plate. The two of them stayed friends and not to long after I left for school they picked things up again and got married a couple years later. Darry now has a thriving construction business with Kate running all the administration aspects for him. Kate is the sister that Soda and I never had.

"Hey it's me." I reply.

Hey." Kate replies, than pauses a minute, "It's not Sunday why are you calling is everything ok?"

"Yeah everything is good." I assure her. "I just got off the phone with Two-Bit, I can't believe he's actually getting married." Kate laughs,

"We were a bit surprised too. We knew they were dating but I don't think any of us realized it was that serious. But then again nothing is every truly serious with Two-Bit."

"That's true." I agree.

"Did he ask you to be a groomsmen? He said he was planning too."

"Yeah he did, he mentioned he was going to call Soda later."

"He also asked Darry and Steve. You did agree to it right?" Kate questions.

"Of course I did." I reply.

"Good. Ryleigh going to be able to make the trip with you? I know how crazy her work schedule is."

"I haven't actually gotten to talk to her yet, she had court today so who knows when she's going to be home."

"Well you know you both can stay here, we'd love to see you."

"I will definitely be there and I'll do my best to make sure Ry comes as well."

"I hope so. You guys doing anything fun this weekend?" Kate questions.  
"We leave tomorrow for the Cape, we're taking a long weekend."

"That sounds like fun." Kate and I talk for a few minutes before we hang up, I haven't started packing yet and I'm expecting Ryleigh home at any minute and I had promised her that morning I'd be packed so we can leave first thing tomorrow morning. I've just started packing when I hear the familiar sound of heels on the stairs. Ryleigh pauses at the bedroom door,

"How was court?" I ask digging through my dresser drawer.

"It went well, as well as can be expected. Mr. Miller was held in contempt and had to be escorted out but I think we all figured that would happen." I look up at her. Ryleigh just graduated from Harvard Law School last year, and pretty soon after she got offered a job at a firm that deals mostly with Family Law. "How about you? How was your day?" She asks sitting down on the edge of the bed, and refolding the shirts I had balled up and thrown in my suitcase.

"It was good. Nothing crazy like yours." Staying in Boston had always been my plan, even before I met Ryleigh, her being here just sealed the deal. By sheer luck I had gotten offered a job teaching at Harvard, and after I got my PhD had gotten promoted to co-chair of the English Department. "You think you'd be able to get a few days off in like a month?"

"It shouldn't be a problem. What's going on?" Ryleigh asks.

"Remember I told you about Two-Bit?" She nods, "He's getting married and he asked me to be a groomsmen." I pause, "And I think it's time for you to see where I grew up."

"I'd love too. It shouldn't be an issue I'll talk to Dean when I get back to the office on Tuesday." She stands up, "I'm going to go start dinner." I think for a second,

"We are both home why not leave for the Cape tonight?" Since we are going to Ryleigh's family's house it's not like we have to worry about hotel reservations getting changed or not being able to find somewhere to stay. "We can grab dinner before we leave." A smile crosses Ry's face,

"Let me change and we can go." She tells me. Within an hour we are on the road to the Cape.

-Soda-

I swear the elevator in our apartment building is exceptionally loud when I get home from work in the early hours of the morning, then it sounds a lot like a jet plane taking off. It can't get to the tenth floor fast enough, I am half way through the door before it even fully opens. As quietly as I can I put the key in the lock and open the door, surprised when Paige is fully dressed for work standing in the hallway. "I was wondering when you'd be home." She greets.

"White Sox home game don't ask." I say kicking my shoes off. "You get called in?" Paige nods,

"Apparently Amy got sent home sick again." Paige and I have been together for four years living together for just about two. We met three years after I moved to Chicago she had taken a part-time job bookkeeping at the bar I was managing while she was working through nursing school. I had been interested instantly, it was hard not to be. Paige on the other hand refused even a date while we were working together, so the two of us had plenty of time to get to know each other. On her last day at the bar she marched in and asked me out, the rest is history we've been together ever since. Paige gathers up her stuff then pauses, "Oh before I forget you have mail, it's got a Tulsa return address that's not Darry's. It's on the kitchen counter." I have no idea who in Tulsa would be sending me mail, Steve is definitely not the letter writing type, and if Kate or Darry wanted to get a hold of me they'd just call.

"Why didn't you open it?" Paige smirks at me,

"My name isn't Mr. Soda Curtis, or I would have." She answers smartly. She follows me into the kitchen, I study the envelope not recognizing the name or address on the backside of it. "My guess is it's a wedding invitation." Paige says.

"Who the hell is getting married in Tulsa that would have invited me?" I question out loud as I open it, I read it then throw it on the counter. "Son of a bitch. Tw0-Bit."

"He the crazy one?" Paige asks. I nod,

"Yeah. Never thought I'd live to see him get married." I pause, "I'll call Pony in the morning and see if he got one." Paige shakes her head, her dark hair fluttering around her shoulders,

"Him and Ryleigh are going to Cape Cod this weekend, I talked to Ry earlier today they won't be back until Tuesday." Ryleigh and Paige are thick as thieves they had met when Pony and Ry had come to Chicago to visit me, at the time Paige and I had just been friends but her and Ry totally hit it off. They actually talk more than Pony and I do. "I bet it happens this weekend." I would never tell Pony but Paige and I have a friendly bet about when him and Ryleigh will finally get engaged. They've been together seven years or something like that, so we all know it's coming.

"Nah." I reply. Paige nods her head adamantly,

"Remember if I win we're going to Vegas." She looks at her watch, "I got to get going. I'll try and get home before you have to be back at work." She grabs the front of my shirt pulling me in for a kiss. "I love you."

"Love you too." I reply. Paige grabs her purse and her keys and leaves, I lock the door behind her, before going into the bedroom to take a shower and crawl into bed. The phone ringing wakes me up, I look at the clock it's barely past 10am. "Hello?" I answer trying to wake up.

"Shit did I wake you up?" A familiar yet unexpected voice says.

"Yeah you did Two-Bit. It's cool though, I needed to get up anyways." I reply. "Got your wedding invitation. Congratulations." Two-Bit laughs,

"Thanks. I'll keep this short I want you to be a groomsmen, you down?" I rub my eyes,

"Absolutely. I'll be there." I tell him there is no way I am missing this.

"Awesome." The two of us talk for a few more minutes, before Two-Bit hangs up stating he has to get to work before Darry kicks his ass. I had almost forgotten after Two-Bit had gotten out of jail and his parole officer told him get a job or else Darry had hired him on, after warning him if he got out of line he would personally kick his ass all the way back to county. After I hang up I roll over and go back to sleep.

-Pony-

Ry and make it back into the house before the clouds let loose with rain, thunder and lightening not far behind. Ryleigh stands watching the storm out the glass doors that lead to the pool and behind that the ocean. When I first met Ryleigh I had been paranoid that once she found out I had basically come from nothing she'd bail. As far as upbringings go ours couldn't be more opposite. Ryleigh was born and raised in Cambridge, her dad is a hot shot defense attorney her mom is a pediatrician. Her and her brother Will had attended a prep school until they graduated high school after which Ry went to Harvard and Will went to Dartmouth. Ry's mom comes from old money, her grandparents are seriously wealthy. They grew up with more money then they knew what to do with, and yet you'd never know. They are totally unaffected by it, and Ryleigh and her family were completely not phased by the fact I grew up with none. A particularly loud clap of thunder makes Ry jump back a bit, "I hope we don't lose power, that always creeps me out." She remarks turning around towards me. She pauses as the lights go off leaving us in complete darkness before they flicker back on a few seconds later. "Not cool." Ryleigh is a city girl, it's never completely dark in Boston and it's never completely quiet, Cape Cod during the off season is probably the most secluded place she's ever been.

"I'm right here you're fine." I tell her. Ryleigh mumbles something before going to the fridge getting a bottle of wine and a glass.

"You want one?" I shake my head,

"Nah I'm good." She goes back to the fridge digs through it and slides me a beer. "I'll take that though." She pours herself a glass of wine and takes a sip. I look out the door the storm certainly seems like it's getting worse. "Tell you what I'll go start a fire just in case the power goes out, why don't you go change into pajamas and meet me back down here."

"Ok but I'm taking a flashlight with me." She says digging through the kitchen drawers until she finds what she's looking for. Twenty minutes later I've got a fire going as Ryleigh comes back. She plops down on the couch next to me, and not two minutes later the power goes out.

"We are sleeping down here. It's pitch black dark upstairs."

"Since when are you afraid of the dark Ryleigh?" I ask.

"I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm afraid of what I can't see in the dark." She replies. I laugh to myself this is the same girl who has no problem going into bars in the worse parts of Boston, and could careless about getting herself into the middle of a contentious custody battle but turn out the lights and she's a mess. I put an arm around her waist as she snuggles in close to me. We sit quietly for a few seconds watching the fire,

"So I've been thinking Ry." She turns so she can see me,

"What about?"

"You and me." She takes the last sip of her wine putting the glass on the coffee table, "And I think it's time."

"Time for what exactly?" She questions, I can tell by the tone of her voice she's confused, then it dawns on her. "Oh no not now I'm in pajamas." She protests as I maneuver myself onto one knee.

"You look beautiful Ry." I tell her, as I watch her dark blue eyes fill up with tears, "I've loved you since the first day and I'll love you till the last day. There is nothing I want more then to spend the rest of my life with you. Ryleigh will you marry me?" I reach into my jeans pocket and pull out the ring,

"Yes. Oh my God yes of course I'll marry you." I take her left hand sliding the ring on her finger, kissing it gently. I've wanted to marry her for years, I had made a promise to myself that I wouldn't rush it and would wait until we were financially stable. It had been hard as hell to wait, and I know Ryleigh thought I would never ask, but I had to do it right. I had to make sure I was fully able to take care of her in the way Ry deserves to be taken care of. I sit back down on the couch and Ry scrambles into my lap her arms around my neck her fingers running through my hair. "I love you." She murmurs.

"I love you too." I reply closing the gap between us kissing her.

-Ryleigh-

I had just gotten back to my office from court when my secretary Lily stops me, "Miss. Harris you have a message." She says waving a piece of paper towards me.

"Thanks." I reply taking it from her smiling when I realize it's from Paige, I sit down at my desk and dial her number hoping she's home. Paige works crazy hours in the ER and a lot of times it's almost impossible to get a hold of her. I'm surprised when she answers after the first ring,  
"Hello?"

"You called Miss. Reynolds. You know you can just use your first name." Paige giggles,

"I know but I like to sound fancy, and Paige is so boring." She replies. "How was your guys weekend?"

"It was fantastic I was actually going to call you tonight."

"He proposed didn't he?" Paige asks immediately.

"Actually yeah he did." I reply.

"I knew it. Did you love the ring, I told him you would." Paige stops short and chuckles, "Forget I said that."

"Oh my God you totally knew about this."

"Well, kinda I mean I knew it was coming, I just wasn't sure when. When Pony came to Chicago for that weekend when you couldn't come. And by the way I missed you so much." I roll my eyes at her through the phone as she continues, "He asked my opinion on a ring, and when we saw that one I knew you'd love it." She pauses, "You do don't you?" I look at my left hand, the ring is absolutely gorgeous and it's exactly what I've always wanted. A perfect oval diamond in a halo setting on a rose-gold diamond band. It's classic and so me.

"You know me to well Paige. I do I love it." The first time Paige and I met it was like being with someone I've known forever, I adore Paige. She's smart, sharp, funny, a total blast to be around and a really good person. She has the knack to make everyone feel like they are her best-friend.

"I knew you would. Have I told you how happy I am for you guys."

"Thanks Paige." I pause, "Are you guys going to Tulsa for the wedding?"

"We are, I guess Soda and Pony are both in the wedding or that's what Soda told me. We'll have to find ways to entertain ourselves, I'm sure Kate will be game for it." I laugh,

"I'm sure she will." I sigh when my intercom goes off alerting me to my next client, "I got to get back to work. I'll give you a call this week."

"Talk to you then. Bye." I hang up and buzz Lily to send them in.

-Paige-

I smirk as I hang the phone up, I go in the bedroom and jump on the bed, where Soda is still passed out. "Hey wake up you owe me a trip to Vegas." Soda opens his eyes slowly,

"Come again Paige."

"Your brother proposed, you owe me a trip to Vegas." I repeat. Soda rubs his eyes sitting up, I feel bad for him. Baseball season is busy time for the bar which is a block away from where the White Sox play, when there are home games he's lucky if he's home before the sun comes up.

"Pony proposed for real?" I nod,

"I told you. I knew it." I look at Soda, "So when are we going?" Soda laughs sitting up,

"When we get back from Tulsa we'll plan it ok Paige?"

"I'm gonna remember you said that and hold it to you."

"I know you will." He yawns, "Can't believe it took this long for him to do it, can't believe Ry waited around for so long."

"I've never seen anyone so in love with someone as Ry is with Pony and vice versa." It's the truth, the two of them are perfect for each other. Ryleigh is all about flowers and romance and being swept off her feet and Pony gives her that while still remaining a steady solid foundation for her. He accepts the fact that Ryleigh is an over achieving workaholic who plans her life out months in advance. They accept each other for all their flaws and really focus on the good things. I love Soda with my entire heart but there's definitely something different about Pony and Ryleigh, they are the kind of people that give you faith in the whole happily ever after thing. "She would have kept waiting."

"Probably. Don't worry Paige I won't make you wait seven years." Soda says giving me a kiss. I had gone through a pretty constant stream of boyfriends before I met Soda, I knew he was the one almost immediately, I just had to be stubborn and refuse to date him for almost two years. He was definitely worth the wait,

"When you take me to Vegas we should just get married, you me and Elvis." I tell him,

"Really Paige like any girl really wants that." Soda calls after me as I go into the bathroom to start getting ready for work,

"In case you forgot I'm not just any girl." I reply. He gets out of bed as I come out of the bathroom, putting his arms around me.

"Oh I know Paige Marie, I know." He leans down kissing me until I can't think or see straight.

"I've got fifteen minutes you better make the best of it." I tell him as I push him back onto the bed.


	2. Chapter 2

April

-Pony-

As soon as Ryleigh and I sit down on the plane I buckle my seat-belt. Tightly. I hate flying. I try to avoid it at all costs, I had actually attempted to talk Ryleigh into driving to Oklahoma she hadn't gone for it. Flying doesn't bother Ry she's been flying since she was born, my first flight was a few years back when I flew to Chicago to visit Soda. When I first went to Boston for school Darry had insisted on driving me. "You're going to pass out if you don't breathe." Ryleigh tells me, I let out a breath I hadn't even known I was holding. I pick up her left hand running my thumb over her engagement ring, before bringing it to my lips kissing first the ring then her fingers slowly. Ry reaches over snapping down the window shade as the plane starts to taxi down the runway,

"I'm glad you're coming with me."

"Well someone had to keep an eye out for any bridesmaids that may want to throw themselves at you." She replies grinning at me.

"Seven years and still jealous." I remark. "You've got to know by now I only have eyes for you." I've been in love with Ry since we met, I had fought it and denied it for a while but I did. We met under rather awkward circumstances, she had been dating a friend of mine who broke up with her claiming she's to difficult to be with. One night the two of us ended up talking at a party and that was that, I was hooked. Brad had been right there are somethings about Ry that are difficult but the good definitely outweighs the bad. She's beautiful, ridiculously intelligent, caring the list goes on and on.

"I know that but they don't." Ry replies. "So Marcia is the same Marcia?" I had been upfront with Ry about what happened in Tulsa, it's a part of me and she needed to know. And it actually got me our first kiss.

"Same one." I lean over putting the blind back up, for the most part I'm ok once we are in the air its the landing and taking off that bother me.

"You haven't been home in forever are you ok with this?" Ryleigh asks her face creased with concern. I think about this for a second, I am definitely curious to see what's been going on since I left. Darry isn't really good about keeping up with gossip. And another part is nervous, I am nothing like I was when I left for Massachusetts the August after I graduated high school, but then again Soda and Darry have both changed a lot too. "Pony?" I look up at Ry who is studying me, she's got the bluest eyes I've ever seen, framed with long dark eyelashes it's a pretty striking combination.

"I'm good Ry don't worry about me." I tell her, leaning over kissing the tip of her nose. I flip up the arm rest separating our seats, looping one arm around her waist pulling her as close to me as her seat-belt will allow. She rests her head on my shoulder and I rest my head against hers. "Why don't you take a nap you were up late." She nods and in a few minutes her breathing becomes soft and regular and I know she's asleep. She stays asleep till we are getting ready to land in Tulsa, Darry meets us right outside the gate as soon as he sees us he squeezes us both in a hug.

"Where's Kate?" Ry asks as we amble towards the baggage claim.

"She's at the house cooking dinner, she wanted to make sure it was ready when you guys got there." Our luggage is one of the first down the ramp, we gather it up and head for the car and Darry starts the drive to the house. He moved out of our house not to long after I left the neighborhood was becoming worse by the day, at first he lived in an apartment when him and Kate got married they started building a house which is where they are living now.

"Your house is beautiful." Ryleigh remarks getting out of the backseat,

"Thanks Ry." Darry replies. Kate must have heard the car she comes out the front door wiping her hands on her jeans. She embraces first Ry then me.

"Let me see the ring." She gushes, grabbing Ry's left hand. "It's gorgeous. I'm so happy for you guys." She pauses, "Come in come in." She says ushering us in. After she gives us the tour of the house, and we get our luggage into a spare bedroom we sit down for dinner where Kate promptly loads our plates with food.

-Ryleigh-

I've never been good sleeping in a bed that wasn't my own, even as a kid I tried to avoid sleepovers as much as possible. I used to lay away trying to figure out what every small sound was waiting for someone else to wake up. I roll over squashing my pillow into a ball trying to get comfortable. "Baby are you ok?" Pony asks leaning over me his lips close to my ear.

"I just can't sleep." I reply. He tosses the paper he's grading onto the nightstand and flips off the light,

"Come here." He says into the darkened room, he pulls me into his arms I roll over till my head is on his chest, I lazily run one finger across his stomach. After Brad promptly dumped me over a message on my answering machine for being difficult I had pretty much sworn off relationships. And then Pony came along, and I fell head over heels for him. I'm almost ashamed to admit at first it was really a physical thing, he's insanely good looking and he has no idea. But once we started talking and I got to know him I realized quickly he was much more than just a pretty face. It didn't take long for me to realize I was in love with him. And I think I fall in love with him a little more everyday. "Is this better?"

"Uh huh." I mumble into his chest, as he slowly plays with my hair. At some point I fall asleep the sound of voices coming from the kitchen the next morning wakes me up. I hear Darry shushing someone, then the backdoor slamming loudly. Pony is still sound asleep, he can pretty much sleep through anything, Paige has told me Soda is the same way. I untangle myself from him, pull on a pair of pajama pants and run a brush through my hair before heading to the kitchen. Kate looks up as I enter.

"Oh I told those two to be quiet. I just knew they were going to wake you up." She says getting up to pour me a cup of coffee, she slides it across the table followed by a plate of banana chocolate chip muffins which she knows are my favorite.

"It's ok I'm usually up by now anyways." I tell her. We both look up as the backdoor opens and Darry comes in.

"Oh Ry you're up."

"I told you two you were being loud enough to wake the dead." Kate tells him, as the door opens again and another guy walks in.

"Ry this is 'Keith" Two-Bit, Two this is Ryleigh Pony's fiancee." His grin gets big as do his eyes,

"Wow. The kid really grew up. It's a pleasure to meet you." Even though I've just met him, there's something about him that makes me instantly like him.

-Pony-

When I wake up for a half a second I have no idea where I am, instinctively I reach out for Ryleigh but her spot is empty and cold. I lay there a minute slowly waking up, I can hear voices coming from I think the kitchen, but then I hear a laugh that I would recognize anywhere, it's barely past the crack of dawn and Two-Bit is already here, it's good to know somethings about home hasn't changed. Stretching I get out of bed pull a t-shirt on, and run my fingers through my hair before going towards the kitchen. Two-Bit is to busy telling Ryleigh and Kate about his triumph over the local law enforcement to notice me. I lean on the back of Ry's chair, "I see you haven't changed." I say. Two-Bit looks up,

"Nah but you surely did. When the hell did that happen?" He says giving me a one arm hug while the other hand pounds me on the back. He doesn't wait for an answer, "I tried to hunt down Steve this morning he must have already gone to work." In a rather not like Steve moment he had enlisted with Soda so he wouldn't have to go alone, Steve hadn't been able to pass the physical something about his knee. Him doing that definitely changed the way I thought about him, by the time I left for Boston we weren't exactly friends but we didn't hate each other anymore.

"I'm sure he'll be here later, I told him when Soda's flight is getting in." Kate remarks.

"Pony you feel like going to the airport with me?" Darry asks.

"Yeah sure I'll go." Even though I am trying to quit something about being here with Two-Bit makes me want to smoke, "Gimme a minute." I go out the kitchen door with Two-Bit on my heels, he's grinning at me like the devil.

"Glad you could make it back."

"Well there's no way I'd miss your wedding." I tell him, "Gimme one." He tosses me the pack of cigarettes followed by the lighter. I pull one out and light it up taking a long drag,

"You're next I hear? Congrats by the way." Two-Bit says leaning against the railing of the stairs.

"Yeah. Thanks." Two-Bit lights his own cigarette and inhales before he starts talking again,

"I didn't want to say this in front of your girl but Cherry has been asking about you." I look up at him. I know he's marrying Cherry's best-friend so I had guessed they'd have spent some time together. I figure the urge to roll my eyes,

"Yeah what about?" I ask lighting up my second cigarette.

"Just if you were coming back, and what you've been up too. And if you were seeing anyone." He pauses, "I think she feels bad for being such a bitch to you back then. Her and Randy are going through a rough patch, she found out he's been screwing his way through half of Tulsa." Two-Bit pauses and looks at me, "He's probably gonna be at the wedding, you ok with that?"

"Yeah I could careless." I reply than think for a minute, "Wait Cherry and Randy are together?"

"Married, they got together right after he got home from college." He laughs, "It's pretty freaking weird."

"No shit. Marcia didn't care?" I ask.

"Nah. She had me." Darry sticks his head through the door,

"Hey we need to get going." I stand up,  
"I'll be back later." Two-Bit says, "With Steve." I go in the house, take a quick shower and get dressed before we leave for the airport.


	3. Chapter 3

-Kate-

Once Darry and Pony retrieve Soda and Paige from the airport we eat lunch and the guys head out, Pony hasn't been home in years and he had mentioned he was curious about the old neighborhood and I know they'll be heading to the cemetery. They had invited the three of us girls along but we had declined, letting the three of them have some time together. I had left Paige and Ryleigh on the porch when I went in the house to answer the phone. "He did a good job." Paige is saying as I come back out, she's busy examining Ry's engagement ring, "Even though I did help a little." I take my seat next to Ry and ask,

"So is it to soon to be asking about wedding plans?" Ryleigh shakes her head as she takes a sip of wine,

"Mom and Carrie already beat you to it." She tells me. Ry comes from a big crazy blended family. Her parents got divorced when she was young and they each got remarried, the whole thing was incredibly amicable and they all have holidays together and go on vacations. I had thought it was super strange until I witnessed it first hand, and while it still maybe strange it definitely works for them. Carrie is her step-mom.

"I'm seeing a big fancy Boston society wedding." Paige remarks, Ryleigh immediately shakes her head no.

"Definitely not." Ry replies, "Even though if mom and Carrie had their way it would be." She smiles as she looks at her engagement ring, I know she's been waiting a long time for this. The first time I met Ry and saw them together I would have sworn they'd be married within a year or two max. Boy had I been wrong. Either way I am thrilled it's finally happening. "I'm thinking something small and intimate."

"And soon?" Paige ponders, Ryleigh smiles,

"Definitely soon." she replies. I shift in my seat making myself more comfortable,

"So uh on the topic of weddings," Both girls look at me, "That was Cherry on the phone." I know for sure Ry knows all about Cherry, I am not sure about Paige though. "She wanted to let me know Two-Bit and Marcia are having a coed bachelorette/bachelor party on Friday after the rehearsal and we are invited." Until Darry hired Tw0-Bit just over two years ago, I hadn't ever really even spoken to Marcia just a few times on the rare occasion Two-Bit brought her over. The two of us aren't the best of friends but we get along alright. Marcia tends to stick with the girls she grew up with, Cherry is still her best-friend even though Cherry is married to Marcia's ex boyfriend. About a year ago she started bringing Cherry around, and even though I may harbor some unkind feelings towards her for how she treated Pony back in the day the two of us have actually become friends, much more than Marcia and I. I look between Ry and Paige, "I thought it maybe uncomfortable for you guys so I invited Marcia, Two-Bit, Cherry and Steve to come over for dinner tonight. So you can meet them before the party." That is part of the reason I wanted them to meet, the other reason is I know how nervous Cherry is about seeing Pony again, and meeting Ryleigh, she's absolutely convinced that they both must hate her. The last thing I want is an awkward meeting at the wedding. Plus I know both Two-Bit and Steve are eager to spend time with Soda and Pony.

"Sounds good Kate." Paige replies, Ryleigh smiles and nods in agreement. Paige turns towards Ry, "How did Brad's divorce go?" She asks with a smirk. Ryleigh wrinkles her nose, "I think it was karma." Paige adds. I must admit I'm a bit confused,

"Ok who is Brad?" I ask.

"He's an ex." Ryleigh replies. Paige shakes her head,

"He's the ex that dumped her over the answering machine." Paige adds. I look at Ryleigh,

"You had someone dump you over an answering machine? Wow that's a dick move." I tell her.

"Yeah he got his though." Ry replies, "His wife just divorced him and I was her attorney, let's just say he wasn't overjoyed at our reunion." She pauses a second and sort of smiles, "But had it not been for him I may not have met Pony so maybe I owe him in a weird twisted way." Paige shrugs as she finishes her wine.

"I need to hear this whole story about Brad." When Pony and Ryleigh met all I knew was they had a few mutual friends, I had no idea one was an ex. "And how it ended up with you two lovebirds meeting." I tell Ryleigh.

"There really isn't that much to tell. Brad broke up with me because he claimed I was difficult." She starts,

"Difficult? Really?" I ask. Ryleigh nods,

"He was the clingy mama's boy type,he wanted to be my one and only priority and when he realized that wasn't going to happen I got branded as difficult." She explains. "About a month after we broke up my roommates Erin and Kristen dragged me to a frat party and Pony and Nick happened to be there. They had been friends with Brad so I had met them a couple of times and we ended up spending the night talking." She continues. "We exchanged numbers and the rest is pretty much history."

"I can't imagine Brad liked it to much when one of his friends hooked up with you." I say.

"He warned him about how difficult I was, I'm sure he probably threw in some creative details." Ryleigh replies.

"Obviously Pony was smart enough not to listen." Paige interjects. I nod in agreement, as I glance at my watch.

"I need to get in and start dinner you guys stay here make yourself comfortable." I tell them,

"We'll help it's no problem." Ryleigh says as they both stand up and follow me in the house.

-Pony-

The three of us drive through the old neighborhood, it had been getting bad before I left but now it's even worse, I should have known when Two-Bit moved his mom and sister out not to long after Darry left. After that we head over to the cemetery I haven't been there since my senior year of high school, and even when I was home I didn't get over there as much as I should have. Darry parks and we make our way up the hill to where mom and dad are buried. When they died we had no extra money the insurance took care of the burial and few bills but that was it, a few years back when all of us started to make decent money we all chipped in for a real tombstone. The three of us stand there quietly for a few minutes before Soda breaks the silence, "This is none of my business but why did it take you so long to propose to Ryleigh?" I should have known this conversation was coming, Kate had danced around it a few times but when I didn't respond she dropped it. My family knows how private I am and they usually don't push things. The three of us find seats on the ground,

"Promise you won't tell Ry?" Soda and Darry swap looks but each of them nod slowly, "After about three years of dating her dad and I had a talk."  
"Wait, I thought you and Mr. Harris got along?" Soda questions, I nod,

"We do." I pause collecting my thoughts, "He basically said that he knew Ryleigh and I loved each other but he asked if I would wait to propose until she was done with school and until we were financially stable." I sigh, "He said that a part of him thinks that things would have been different if him and Rachel had waited to get married until they were both settled, instead of just rushing out and getting married. He was adamant that Ryleigh not make that same mistake." Darry nods,

"I mean that makes sense, most parents don't want their kids to repeat their mistakes." He says.

"I totally understood what he was saying, and I had already planned to wait until I was certain I could take care of Ryleigh the right way. I had planned to ask after she graduated from law school last year but things just got to chaotic. Between her starting a new job, my promotion, buying a house, I didn't want to throw an engagement and wedding planning on top of it."

"I give you credit for waiting." Soda says once I've stopped talking.

"What about you when are you going to ask Paige?" I question, Soda laughs and shrugs,

"I figure one of these days we'll just go get married skip the whole engagement thing." If anyone else had told me that I would have insisted that no girl would go for that, but knowing both Soda and Paige this is definitely a plausible situation. The three of us stand up and make our way towards where Johnny is buried, Darry hadn't let me go to his funeral he had made Soda stay home with me and basically hold me hostage. I know he was afraid I'd freak out, and he's probably right. I didn't go to his grave until a few months later when I had a better handle on things and myself. "You ok?" Soda asks putting his hand on my shoulder. I nod, I came to terms with everything that happened a long time ago, I had to it was either that or go crazy. It had been a big factor in my going so far away for school, I needed a fresh start, I wanted to go somewhere, where no one knew what happened or knew me for that matter. Where I didn't have to answer questions or explain things. It was my decision to tell people if I felt they should know, besides Ryleigh the only other person who knows the entire story is my best-friend Nick.

"Yeah I'm good." I reply.

"Well I am starving." Soda states causing both Darry and I to laugh.

"Yeah what else is new." Darry remarks as the three of us start back towards the car, "Tell you what lets go get a beer and you can get something to eat. I'm sure the girl can amuse themselves."

"So I'm thinking since all three of us are together we should go get tattoos." Soda says causally as we get to the car. Darry gives him a look that screams apprehension. "Pony you'll do it right?" He asks as I pull open the door, I shrug,

"Sure why not. What's another one anyways." I reply.

"We will talk about it." Darry adds getting into the car, Soda smirks and winks at me. He's always had that innate ability to talk people into pretty much anything, and I'm pretty sure at some point we'll be getting tattoos.


	4. Chapter 4

-Ryleigh-

Even though Paige and I offered to help Kate she would have none of that, insisting she has everything under control. I don't doubt this Kate is the dictionary definition of a perfect hostess. Instead of letting us help she tells us we can keep her company, so Paige and I take seats at the table. Paige flips through a magazine, "So according to this the four most important events to remember in your relationship before marriage is your first kiss, the first saying of "I love you", the first date as a couple and the first time you, you know." Paige tells us, she looks at me over the top of the magazine, "You remember all those things Ryleigh?"

"They all happened over a period of forty-eight hours so yeah I definitely remember." I tell them. Kate sits down with what looks like twenty pounds of potatoes that she's getting ready to peel. The two of them look at each other,

"Seriously?" Paige asks. I nod, "How come I never heard this story?" She questions,

"You never asked about it." I reply. They exchange looks again and I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm going to be telling them both the story.

"Well I'm asking now." Paige answers as she gets up refilling all of our wine glasses,

"Entertain me while I peel my mountain of potatoes." Kate adds. I take a sip of my wine and think for a second,

"Alright but I'm warning you it's not all that exciting." Paige smirks,

"It may not be exciting but I'd bet it's romantic." She smiles at me,

"I'll let you two be the judge of that." I say, "Alright so you both know about Brad."

"The dick." Kate remarks, Paige nodding in agreement.

"Right the dick. He broke up with me in February, right before Valentine's Day."

"He probably didn't want to get you a gift." Paige suggests.

"Probably." I concur, "So anyways for the first two months I sort of let myself wallow in self-pity which really isn't the most attractive thing but it happens. Towards the middle of April, Erin and Kristen had, had enough like I told you before and forced me out of the house." I pause, "And like I said I had already met Pony and Nick through Brad but hadn't really talked to them."

"And it was love at first sight?" Paige asks,

"It was something, maybe not love entirely but something." I reply. "So after that night we exchanged numbers and started talking on a pretty regular basis. And while Brad really resented the fact that school was my number one priority Pony sort of worked with it." I explain.

"How do you mean?" Kate questions.

"Well if I had to go to the library Pony would just show up, he didn't wait for me to be able to fit him in my already bogged down schedule he just sort of injected himself in it." Both Kate and Paige let out an awwww in unison making me giggle. "Anyways we were talking on a regular basis, and at the end of September he asked me out on a date, which led to more dates. I think it was on our third date we had the conversation about becoming exclusive, and agreed we'd let things happen." I pause both Kate and Paige are totally engrossed staring at me,

"Go on." Paige urges.

"Shortly after that date he called me asking if I'd go get coffee because he needed to talk to me about something, so I of course agreed because..."

"Why wouldn't you?" Paige interrupts.

"Exactly." I reply. "So we go get coffee and decide to take a walk around campus and after a while we sat down to talk." I pause a second thinking back to that night...

Seven Years Prior

I stare at Pony wide-eyed once he's stopped talking, I'm completely unsure of what to say so instead I say nothing. We had gone from talking about the Harvard/Princeton football game tomorrow to him pouring his heart out and telling me everything that had happened back in Tulsa. "I wanted you to know before any decisions were made about us being together. It's a big part of my life obviously and I didn't know if it would change anything between us." He's watching me closely I assume looking for some sort of reaction. "And if you decide you'd rather be with someone who had a more similar upbringing to yours I totally understand that." I'm shaking my head no before he can even finish talking. "No?"

"No." I reply it comes out a lot louder than I had expected or planned it to. I can tell by his reaction he was expecting a different outcome. He reaches over tucking a piece of hair behind my ear, without really meaning to, I lean my head against his head. And then for some unknown reason I blurt out, "I think I'm in love with you." The truth is I know there's no "thinking" about it, I know I'm in love with him. "Sorry sometimes I talk before I actually think. I mean we haven't even kissed yet." I clasp my hand over my mouth to keep from talking, trying to regain some sort of dignity. Pony thinks about this than grins at me,

"True. How about we fix that?" He asks as he gently takes my face in his hands and just as gently brings his lips to mine. "Better?" He asks quietly, my face still in his hands his lips mere inches from mine. I lean in again letting my lips find his, it feels so natural it's almost scary.

"That's better." I tell him. "I want to be with you, your past and all that has no effect on me wanting to be with you."

"Are you sure Ryleigh?" He asks tentatively as if he still expects me to run for the hills.

"I'm positive." I tell him. He smiles at me,  
"So you and me?" He asks.

"You and me." I reply. He leans in kissing me again, this time wrapping his arms around me tightly. Since we met we've had limited to no physical contact, mostly because I didn't trust myself not to do something with him that we might both have ended up regretting. We sit there a few more minutes,

"I should get you back to your dorm it's getting late." He says standing up holding out his hand helping me up, he keeps my hand securely in his. "We're still on for the game tomorrow right?"

"I wouldn't miss it." I reply as we stop in front of my dorm, "I'll see you tomorrow." After a few dozen goodbye kisses I make my way inside.

Present Time

"I told you it wasn't anything exciting." I tell them.

"Wait so you blurted out I'm in love with you and he didn't say anything?" Paige questions,

"I said I think I'm in love with you and no not a word." I reply. Paige shakes her head,

"That doesn't count as the first time you said I love you then, so I'm going to need you to continue and don't leave out any steamy details. Right Kate?" She says.

"She's right Ry." Kate adds. "So your first date as a couple was a football game?" I nod, continuing my story,

The Next Day Seven Years Prior

I have never been so preoccupied about about what to wear to a football game as I am at this moment. It's way to cool outside to even think about trying to put a dress on, besides it's not the most practical football outfit either ways. After changing probably twenty times I finally settle on a long sleeve Harvard t-shirt, a pair of jeans and white converse. I pull my hair into a ponytail and throw on some minimal makeup and a pair of sunglasses. After a quick once over I make my way downstairs to meet Pony. "Hey." he greets. He is wearing a long sleeve gray and white stripped rugby shirt that's just snug enough so you can tell he's built, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't dying to see what he looks like with no shirt on and a pair of jeans. He completely fits the whole frat boy stereotype people have, he definitely looks the part. "So I was going to bring you flowers but I figured breakfast would be better. You haven't eaten have you?" I shake my head,

"No I woke up late." He presses a kiss to my forehead which maybe the cutest thing ever, as he hands me a bag and a cup of coffee.

"Lightly toasted everything with cream cheese and coffee extra cream extra sugar." He says.

"Alright I'm impressed." I reply. He very patiently waits for me to eat before heading over to the stadium, "Nick meeting us?" Nick is one of the best people I have ever met, he's ridiculously funny and he's always happy.

"Nick went home for the weekend, his sister and her boyfriend are visiting and apparently announcing their engagement." he tells me as we get through the ticket gate. "I think Brad is going to be here we could totally hang out with him." He mentions smirking at me.

"I'm gonna rain check on that one." Once we are in our seats I turn towards him, "You two talking again I thought he had stopped talking to you and Nick since you broke some sort of bro code." Pony almost chokes on his drink laughing at me.

"Nick mentioned to him that we had gone on a few dates and Brad felt he needed to warn me about how difficult you were." I can almost feel the scowl on my face,

"I imagine that's not all he told you." Pony sighs,

"It doesn't matter what he told me. It didn't change a thing about how I feel about you." He puts two fingers under my chin tilting it up so he can kiss me. "So don't worry about it." He tells me.

"I'm really not all that difficult." I proclaim.

"You are kinda difficult." Pony replies. I go to say something but he puts a finger on my lips to shush me, "But it's what makes you, you. I'm ok with you putting school first, if I need to spend every day in the library with you until you graduate Law School than so be it. At least I'll get to spend time with you." He pauses, "I don't get why Brad would give you up over something that stupid." There's something about the way he's looking at me that melts me completely. I find those three words on the tip of my tongue, and I have to make myself not say them. "Just like I'm sure you get how crazy grad school is going to get for me when I have to start writing a thesis and doing applications for my doctorate." I nod, "We'll figure things out Ryleigh. I just want to be with you." This time it's me who leans in for a kiss.

Present Time

"Oh my sweet Lord." Paige says. "I can't even." I can't help but laugh at her. "Soda is a sweet talker but he's never come out with anything like that." Paige shakes her head, before twisting her long dark hair into a loose bun, then looks at me.

"He writes you love letters doesn't he?"

"I mean like all the time no, has he on occasion yeah." I tell them.

"Is Darry romantic?" Paige asks Kate, who is currently stirring something that smells divine. She turns around and thinks,  
"I mean he's definitely not writing me love letters but he does little things that are romantic. Surprises me with flowers stuff like that. Unloads the dishwasher." She replies. "Soda romantic?" Paige thinks for a second,

"He can be." She says. "It's just in a different way, it's hard to explain." She pauses, "The difference is Soda knows he's charming he knows how to play it and Pony is oblivious to the fact he is, it's different dynamics." I nod in agreement.

"That's a good point. Did you want me to finish?" Both Paige and Kate nod so I continue.

Later That Night Seven Years Prior

After the game the two of us go out for dinner and than head over to the Delta party, "We don't have to stay long, I'm thinking like a beer and then we split." Pony tells me. The house is already overflowing with people, they are spilling out the front door, onto the lawn with a handful of people littering the sidewalks. He slows to a stop causing me to bump into him, "I have to ask you something and I really don't want this to come out the wrong way." He takes a deep breath, "Would you sleep with me tonight?" This totally catches me off guard, "I mean like really sleep like just sleep." He adds.

"Just sleep? Like you just want to sleep with me?" I question.

"Yeah just sleep." Pony pauses and smirks at me, "Don't get me wrong Ryleigh there's about a hundred things I'd like to do with you other than sleep." I feel my face flush slightly, "But tonight I just want to actually sleep with you."

"I'm kinda curious about the hundred other things you'd like to do." I reply coyly. This gets a grin that is pure devastation in it's fullest.

"I could tell you..." He starts, "But I'd much rather show you." My heart starts racing and I get butterflies in my stomach, "And it'll happen in time." It takes me a minute to compose myself, I'm pretty sure he has no idea the affect he's having on me. I take a few steps closer and look up at him, without heels I'm barely pushing 5'2 and he's easily 6'2.

"Will you hold me?" I ask quietly. Pony nods,

"All night." he replies. "So will you?"

"I need to go back to the dorm to get clothes I have Mass tomorrow morning and if I miss it mom will kill me." I tell him. We both look at the frat house that's getting more crowded by the minute,

"Let's go get you clothes than." He waits outside while I dash up the two flights of stairs to my dorm room, I'm thankful neither Kristen or Erin are there. I am not up for explaining where I'm going. If I'm not there when they get back they'll just assume I'm at either mom or dad's house. I throw some stuff in my overnight bag and grab a dress out of the closet followed by some makeup, before dashing back downstairs. "That was quick." Pony remarks. We make the short walk over to the on campus apartment building that is dictated for grad school students that him and Nick live in. He unlocks the door letting me in, he puts my stuff in his room we both change into pajamas and settle on the couch flipping on the TV to some stupid slasher film that frequent every channel the entire month of October. Shortly after midnight we resign to his bedroom, for some reason I'm oddly nervous. Why I have no idea. I spent plenty of nights with Brad. But something about this just feels different, you can almost feel the sexual tension in the air. However once we are both in bed and he pulls me into his arms, my body melting into his all the nerves disappear. "Hold on." He says letting go of me, sitting up. "I can't sleep with a shirt on." he says yanking his t-shirt over his head, he settles back down pulling me close again. I knew he was well built but now I can feel how ripped he is, like I can count the individual muscles on his stomach in the dark ripped. I make a mental note not to ever give him shit about going to the gym ever again. He rolls me over till I'm on my side my back pressed up against his chest our legs intertwined, his arms wrapped around me, hands on my stomach. I fight back a moan as his lips brush the back of my neck, goosebumps springing up on my skin. "Did you mean what you said last night?" He whispers into the darkened room.

"About what?"

"About thinking you're in love with me?" I turn around so I can see him,

"No." I reply. "I don't think I am, I know I am." I say.

"Good because I'm in love with you too." He tells me. He leans down kissing me gently, I reach up threading my fingers through his hair as the kiss deepens. "So much for sleeping." He mumbles as he tugs my shirt over my head, his lips on my neck. He kisses a slow trail down my body, pulling off the rest of my clothes on his way down. By the time he makes his way back up to my lips my entire body is trembling, and I can't get his pajama pants off fast enough. He tangles his fingers in my hair pressing his lips against mine as he presses into me, moving slowly at first before gradually getting faster, I hook one leg over his hip as our bodies move perfectly in sync.

"Tell me you love me." I gasp out. He lifts his head up his eyes locking with mine,

"I love you Ryleigh. So much." he replies without a minute of hesitation. Even though we are in the middle of the best sex of my life, it's obvious he means it.

"I love you too." I moan. "So much." he grins kissing me hard. An hour later I'm curled up in his arms,

"I really didn't plan on that happening." He tells me. "I mean I'm glad it did but that wasn't my intention."

"I'm glad it did too." I reply. "I have to ask you don't really seem like the tattoo type." Pony chuckles,

"One was a I turned eighteen so why the hell not, the other was a drunk fraternity brother adventure." I smile at him,

"I'm definitely not complaining because it's hot." I smirk at him, "You know what would be really hot, my name." I tease. He yanks my chin towards him for a kiss.

"I'll definitely keep that in mind." he tells me. "I really do love you."

"And I really love you." I reply pulling him in for a long kiss.

-Paige-

Ryleigh finishes talking and folds her hands on the table, "Alright I'm going say it you two make me want to puke." I tell her. "And I mean that in the best way possible." Ryleigh smiles at me,

"Thank you I'm going to take that as a compliment." Kate turns around from mashing the potatoes and transfers them into a serving dish, I glance at the clock I hadn't even realized it was after 6 we had obviously gotten caught up in talking.

"Good you should because it is." I reply. "How long before he got your name tattooed?" Ry thinks,

"He did it for our five year anniversary." I study Ryleigh for a second, she's the classic girl next door. From the dark hair to the big blue eyes, dimples, and a slight scattering of freckles across her nose. She's adorable. And she always manages to look put together. Even now she's wearing a long sleeve blue and white stripped t-shirt, skinny jeans, and white converse. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail and she's got her glasses on. Total girl next door. Which totally works with Pony being the frat boy they two of them go together like peanut-butter and jelly.

"Anybody home?" A male voice calls out from the living room.

"Yeah we're in here." Kate calls back. Two guys who I imagine are Two-Bit and Steve stop in the doorway with two girls who have to be Marcia and Cherry behind them. Both girls are dressed up, like you'd think they were going to eat in a restaurant and not someone's house. I had intended to change before dinner but that's not going to happen now. Kate does the introductions, "I don't know what the guys are up to, I figured they'd be home long before now." Ryleigh smiles,

"I'm sure they just got caught up in whatever it is they are doing." I look at her,

"Or Soda talked them into doing something they normally wouldn't do." I say, "He's really good at that."

"Glad to know Soda hasn't changed." Steve remarks taking the empty seat next to Ryleigh.

"I feel like this is a good story." Ry says, I nod and wink at her.

"I'll tell you later." I reply. Two-Bit, Cherry and Marcia take the remaining seats. Not two minutes later the back door opens,

"How long is this going to sting for?" Darry asks. Ryleigh and I look at each other.

"You're being a baby it's not that big of a deal." Soda says stepping through the door followed by Pony and Darry.. "Oh hey." he says noticing everyone sitting at the table. Two-Bit and Steve both get up to greet both him and Pony. I know Soda misses home, and I'm glad he got to come back.

"I make you want to puke." Ry whispers, "You should see the way you're looking at him."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." I reply trying not to smirk.

"Sorry we're late honey." Darry says to Kate giving her a kiss, both Ryleigh and I exchange looks that Kate catches and she shakes her head at us causing both Ry and I to dissolve into giggles.

"Oh no worries Ryleigh kept us entertained." She replies. Neither Cherry or Marcia have said a word, Marcia looks bored and Cherry looks uncomfortable, I had noticed as soon as Kate had introduced Ryleigh and it has gotten worse since Pony came through the door. Soda had given me a basic breakdown about what had happened with Pony, I'm still sort of amazed how normal and well adjusted he is after going through that. Both Soda and I credit Ryleigh for that and I know Kate and Darry both do as well. He had mentioned Cherry being involved somehow which I can't quite remember but it's clear something went down between them. A part of me wants to ask but since Ryleigh doesn't seem bothered by it, I assume it's none of my business.

"I'm not sure if I should be worried or not." Pony remarks as he squats down between mine and Ryleigh's chair.

"Probably." I tell him. He smiles at me, him and Soda have the exact same smile it's crazy.

"No you shouldn't." Ry says. "What were you guys doing all afternoon though?" Soda flashes that lopsided grin that makes girls swoon, I am not even joking I've seen it first hand and I know he absolutely talked them into doing something.

"Oh this ought to be good." Two-Bit says, they obviously know all about Soda and his tricks.

"We drove around, went to the cemetery, had a few beers than went and got tattoos." He replies casually. "Nothing major."

"You what?" Kate asks looking at Darry, who automatically points at Soda.

"Blame him it was all his idea." He declares. "And that one didn't help." He adds nodding at Pony who is leaning on the back of Ry's chair. Soda smiles at Kate, I nudge Ryleigh,

"This is what I was talking about sweet talker." I whisper.

"Since we were all together I figured it would be a good way to bond." I swear to God Soda should have been a con artist the man can talk his way in and out of anything and it doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous on top of it. "I fully take responsibility." Them going out and getting tattoos doesn't surprise me, Soda already has a few as does Pony, a while back Soda met a guy who had a bunch of brothers and they all went out together and got their last name tattooed down their side. Soda became slightly obsessed with the idea, and was determined to get Darry and Pony to do it with him.

"It's fine. Dinner is ready." Kate says ending the conversation. Soda winks at Darry as we all file into the dining room to eat.


	5. Chapter 5

-Soda-

I'm half listening to Steve and half keeping one eye on Two-Bit who is completely plastered, rip-roaring drunk, out of his mind wasted, anyway you want to describe it he is. I work at a bar and I can spot an issue about to happen a mile away, Two-Bit has been messing around with two guys that are just passing through Tulsa on a business trip for the past hour, he's always been a trash talker but when he's drunk it gets worse. I'm not surprised he's so diligently trying to pick a fight though he's been in a mood since before we got here. Dinner had been awkward at best, Marcia spent the entire night acting like she didn't want to be there and making snide comments, as soon as we had finished dinner she took off, Cherry in tow. Steve had hounded Two-Bit the entire way to the bar about why he was marrying her, I'm sure we were all thinking it, but he was only one that came out and said it. For Two-Bit's sake I hope Marcia was just having an off night, to much stress and pre-wedding jitters, maybe. Pony comes back in from the main bar, he had been talking to a few people he had gone to high school with, he looks at Two-Bit and takes the seat next to me. "He's going to get the shit kicked out of him." He remarks. Both Steve and I nod in agreement, "I promised Ryleigh I wouldn't get in trouble, she refuses to bail me out again. So if shit goes down I'm out." He adds with a smirk as he finishes his beer.

"What do you mean again?" I question, "When was there a first time and why didn't you tell me?" I know Darry doesn't know half the shit Pony did at college, and I know there are things that he hasn't told me. Pony shrugs,

"I didn't really tell anyone, it wasn't that big of a deal." He explains. Steve leans over me,

"What the hell did you do to get arrested?" he asks.

"Me and a few guys went out, ended up at a bar that makes this place look like a five star establishment, a bar fight broke out. And it's one of those places that you get involved whether you want to or not. Everyone who was there got hauled in while the cops sorted shit out." He tells us.

"You had to call Ry and have her come bail you out?" I ask.

"I was with Will, Spencer and Nick, the three of us were ok with spending the night there instead of calling Ry, but Nick wasn't so he actually made the phone call." He tells us than laughs, "She had to come down and bail all four of us out."

"And you lived to tell the tale." I remark. I hate to admit that when Pony and Ry first got together I didn't like her. At all. And I had no plans to even give her a chance. The two of them got really serious, really fast. Within a few months Pony was talking about marriage, moving in together, kids the whole shebang, things that he had never once even mentioned. Come to think of it before Ryleigh he rarely talked about any girls he was dating. I was convinced she was brainwashing him in some way. Darry had been a little leery about the situation, neither of us had ever seen Pony like this, but he mostly kept an open mind, Kate tried her best to remind both of us that Pony was an adult. I didn't listen and did my best to convince him that he didn't need to be that serious with someone while he was still in school, and that he shouldn't tie himself down to one girl. Ryleigh on the other-hand wasn't thrilled with me, she made it pretty clear that I needed to mind my own business. The two of us put Pony into a rather awkward position, looking back on it now I think a part of me was jealous, I was pretty sure had Pony had to choose he would have taken Ry he was that in love. After a few months he talked me into going to Boston to meet her and at least try and get to know her, I'm not saying that we became friends over night because we didn't. But it didn't take us long to realize how much Pony meant to each of us and putting him in the middle wasn't the right thing to do. Little by little we learned to tolerate each other, and found out surprisingly we had a few things in common, both of us are die hard Red Sox fan. The one thing I could never overlook about Ry is how happy she makes Pony, like really happy, like before mom, dad and Johnny happy. I think we all had doubts that he could get back to that place but he is with Ryleigh. Over time we slowly became friends and now after seven years I'm happy to say I'm glad they are finally getting married.

"I mean she wasn't thrilled, but she didn't kill me." Pony replies, he pauses a second, "This is none of my business but are things ok with you and Paige, she seemed kinda pissed about you going out tonight."

"What are you talking about? She was fine she told me to have a good time." Pony looks at me giving me a look that screams 'are you stupid?'.

"She told you to have a good time but then conveniently walked out of the room." He remarks.

"And slammed the door." Steve adds. Pony nods,

"I mean I could be wrong, it just seemed like she was pissed. But if things are good between you two I'm sure I was wrong." I nod,

"Yeah things are great. Besides us not really seeing each other, we usually get about an hour a day together sometimes more sometimes less, but things are good." Pony orders another beer, takes a drink, than shakes his head,

"An hour a day?" He repeats. "Why the hell are you here? In this shithole with a bunch of drunk guys?" He questions, Steve chuckles and gets up to go see what Two-Bit is up too. I look at Pony sometimes I have to remind myself that he's not a kid anymore that he's an adult, with a job, and a fiancee.

"It's not like I see you guys that much either." I retort, "If Ry had asked you to stay home would you have?"

"If I only saw her an hour a day she wouldn't have had to ask." He replies. I grin at him,

"I guess if I'm going to take relationship advice from anyone it should be from one half of the perfect couple." I say giving him a good natured shove. "I bet you two don't even fight."

"We don't have like knock out drag out fights, but we argue. Just like everyone else." he replies.

"Yeah about what? Who loves who more?" Pony flips me off,

"You're freaking hysterical."

"Come on seriously what do you argue about I'm curious." Pony thinks for a second or two.

"Ryleigh is a control freak, she plans her life weeks if not months in advance, we have no spontaneity in our relationship. None. And it drives me crazy. There's no spur of the moment anythings." He pauses for a moment and sort of smiles to himself, "And apparently I'm messy and disorganized and she continually tells me how I'm like a grown child that she needs to clean up after."

"Welcome to what my life used to be like." Darry remarks taking Steve's seat, "You are both of those things by the way." Pony shrugs finishing his beer putting the bottle on the sticky surface of the bar, "You two in some sort of therapy session?"

"Soda didn't realize that Paige was mad he went out tonight." Pony says filling him in. Darry looks at me,

"It was pretty obvious." So apparently everyone but me realized my girlfriend wasn't happy to night, chalk one fail up for me. "Being the only married person here, let me give you both some advice. No relationship is perfect, trust me. Kate tells me daily that I'm married to my job and she's my mistress." For some reason this cracks both Pony and I up, "And how at this rate she's never going to get pregnant because I'm to worried about lumber deliveries being late."

"Are you and Kate trying to get pregnant?" I question, he has never once mentioned kids. I think we all sort of figured after years with Pony and I and the other guys he wouldn't want that responsibility again.

"I mean it would be nice to have a kid maybe two." He says, then he looks at Pony, "Wait till you get married you'll start wanting kids." Pony gives a half smile,

"If Ryleigh got pregnant tomorrow I wouldn't object." This shocks the shit out of both Darry and I. Darry finishes his drink and stands up,

"Lets get you home so your girlfriend doesn't murder you." He says slinging an arm around both of us,

"What about drunk ass over there?" I ask motioning towards Two-Bit,

"Steve can handle him." Darry has a short conversation with Steve, who agrees it's time to go. I have a feeling there's something going on with Steve and it has to do with a girl, but he's yet to bring it up and I'm not one to push. Luckily it doesn't take much convincing to talk Two-Bit into leaving, so we all walk about together. After making plans to get together tomorrow night so we can go golfing, Two-Bit is desperate to impress his future father-in-law we leave. The house is quiet when we get back, the only one still up is Ryleigh who is finishing up a phone call when we walk into the kitchen,

"Right. Yeah..." She pauses listening, "Tell Georgia she doesn't really need ten biscuits...I will. Yup. Ok Hope...Talk to you then. Bye." She hangs up her phone putting it back into her pocket.

"Everything ok?" Pony asks leaning on the counter,

"Yup. House is good, Stella is good. Getting fat but I'm sure she's happy." It's safe to say that Pony spoils Ryleigh, for Christmas he bought her an English Bulldog puppy, Stella. I've seen pictures she's as cute as they come, and she's treated like a child instead of a dog.

"Good." Pony tells her, Ry stands up and he wraps an arm around her leaning down to kiss the top of her head, "You ready for bed?" Ry nods, the two of the same their good nights and head down the hall.

"I should probably go talk to Paige." Darry nods,

"Go on. I'm gonna head to bed as soon as I lock up." I pause outside the bedroom door listening, I push it open slowly,

"Oh hey you're up." Paige looks up from whatever she's looking at on her phone,

"Yeah can't sleep, I think my body is used to being at work having a hard time unwinding." I close the door and sit on the edge of the bed,

"I owe you an apology." I start, Paige puts her phone down on the nightstand and looks at me,

"For what?"

"For not paying attention, I didn't realize you were unhappy about me going out. And I'm sorry." Paige sighs,

"I don't want you to think that I don't want you going out with your friends and your brothers, I know you don't see them a lot." She pauses, "It's just that I don't see you a lot either and it seems a lot of the times we could spend together you go out with friends."

"Why haven't you said anything?"

"I tried I just didn't want to come across as a clingy, needy, possessive girlfriend. I want you to have a life and friends but I love you and I need you too." I look at her Paige is gorgeous, how I ended up with her I still have no idea.

"I love you too, and I'm sorry. I'm going to start spending so much time with you, you'll be sick of me." I lean over kissing her, "And you aren't any of those things. You're perfect." Paige smiles,

"I'm glad you think so, about me being perfect and not being those things. And I don't think it's possible to get sick of you." She yawns,

"Why don't you try and get some sleep, you look exhausted." I go into the bathroom to brush my teeth and by the time I get back Paige is already asleep. I flip off the lights, put an arm around her and drift off myself.

-Pony-

I get into bed waiting for Ryleigh who as normal is taking her sweet time in the bathroom, I close my eyes for a second when the door opens. "Took you long enough." I comment not bothering to open my eyes,

"Sorry to have kept you waiting." Ryleigh replies climbing into bed next to me, I turn my head and open my eyes.

"I have a shit load of papers to grade, are you going to kill me if I do some work?" Both of us are super busy with work, but we've sort of made a promise that we keep work out of the bedroom. I hate the fact that I had to bring work with me but this time it was pretty unavoidable.

"You know if it were me you'd be like all you do is work." She moves closer until her lips are on mine, "But go ahead and do what you need to do." She says rolling over grabbing a book off the nightstand. I don't even need to look at it to know it's Wuthering Heights, it's her favorite book of all times and she reads it at least once every other month.

I grab the first paper off the stack and start reading, and then something crosses my mind,

"What did you guys talk about this afternoon?" I had been wondering since Kate said that Ry kept them entertained, Ry puts her book down enough so she can see me over the top of it.

"You and me." She smiles, "That forty-eight hour period of time." I smile at her knowing exactly what she's talking about, "About how you just wanted to "sleep" with me."

"You didn't tell them about the party six months prior to that how you insisted I take your number and call you?" Ry rolls her eyes,

"That's exactly what happened." She goes back to her book and even though I rarely think about that night I find myself going back to that party, the night that changed everything for me.

Seven Years Prior

For the first time I didn't want to go out, which is strange for me I rarely pass up an opportunity to go out. But lately the frat scene had been getting old, same thing every time, the girls are the same and I'm just bored. But Nick who is trying to get with a girl who is in our sister sorority managed to twist my arm into going with him. We've only been there about fifteen minutes when someone bumps into Nick. "Oh crap. Excuse me." She pauses, "Hey." Nick and I look at each other than at her, I recognize her instantly. Brad's ex-girlfriend the one he had dumped because she's supposedly difficult, Nick and I never quite got that, we had met her a few times. She had always seemed pretty cool, really smart, funny. The only good things Brad ever said about her was that she was nice to look at, her parents had money, and she was good in bed.

"Hey. Ryleigh right?" Nick replies. She nods flashing the two of us a smile that I'm pretty sure could stop rush hour Boston traffic.

"That's me. How are you guys?" She asks brightly. I study her for a second, like last week Brad was going on and on about how depressed she was and how she couldn't live without him. Either he's lying through his teeth or she deserves an Oscar for the show she's putting on.

"We're good. Aren't we Pony?" Nick replies giving me a swift elbow the ribs, I hadn't realized I had been staring until that minute, if she notices she doesn't say anything.

"Sure." I say, Nick grins at me,

"Sophie is over there I'm gonna go talk to her." He grins than winks at me as he turns and disappears into the crowd. The first time we met Ryleigh, Nick had told me how she's exactly my type, and in true Nick fashion he managed to leave the two of us alone.

"I didn't realize he knew Sophie." Ry remarks, she takes a few steps closer to me. She gets so close that I can smell her, even over the permanent smell of stale beer that lingers in any frat house. And she smells really good.

"Yeah he's been trying to get a date with her for a while now." Nick is a great guy, we've been friends since freshman orientation, but when it comes to girls he's usually put in the friend zone, and once he's there he never gets out.

"Sophie and I went to high school together, we're pretty good friends. I could put the good word in for Nick if that would help." Ryleigh tells me. I had never really noticed how pretty she was. Hell she was dating a friend of mine and I'm not one to take someone's girlfriend. But she's a total knockout, she's got the bluest eyes I've ever seen. And somehow she manages to have this sweet and innocent thing about her while still being sexy as hell, she's the perfect balance.

"He'd probably really appreciate that." I tell her.

"I'll talk to her tomorrow." She replies, "How was you're first year of grad school?" To be honest I'm pretty flattered she remembered,

"It was good. Not as crazy as I thought it would be, but I'm sure that will probably change." I pause trying to remember something about her, the only time Brad talked about her it was about sex, and than it hits me. "You're pre-law right?"

"I can't believe you remembered that." She smiles at me, like a real smile. "I am."

"Sometimes I pay attention. First year going ok? My first year at Harvard was kind of a blur?"

"It's been a bit to manage at times, but it's going good." She looks at her watch, "I should probably get going, I have plans in the morning. It was nice talking to you though."

"Yeah it was. We should hang out sometime." I can tell by the look on her face she's about to say no, Brad had mentioned she's a control freak and school is her number one priority, so I add, "We could study or something I know how busy you are with school." The entire expression on her face changes,

"We could do that." She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a pen, turns my hand over and writes her number, "Call me." I take a deep breath and take a total chance,

"You really need to get home?"

"Maybe...why do you have something in mind?" I look at her for a second, I'm usually pretty good about telling when a girl is interested in me, but I can't read Ryleigh at all and it's sort of refreshing, a challenge.

"I'm kinda hungry. You want to go grab something to eat?" She thinks about this for a second,

"That sounds good actually." The two of us turn to leave garnering a looks from a few people, I know this is going to get back to Brad and the story will go something like we left to go hook up. I can think of worse rumors though. We end up going to grab pizza, and spend the whole night until I walk her back to her dorm. Talking, just getting to know each other. I was right about her being smart, but she's also sweet, funny, and really easy to talk too. I know before I even make it back to my own apartment that I'm falling for her fast, and I can't stop it. Even if I could though I don't think I'd want too.

Present Time

Ryleigh shutting her book snaps me out of my own thoughts, without a word she slides in closer to me, her head on my pillow her left arm draped across my stomach. This is how we sleep every night even though she has her own side of the bed, own pillow she ends up on mine. "You comfortable?" I ask, moving her ponytail off her neck so I can massage her gently. I know how Ry has a hard time sleeping anywhere that isn't her own bed,

"Uh huh." She mumbles her voice muffled by the pillow, I keep rubbing slipping my hand under the t-shirt she's wearing, after a few minutes her breathing becomes soft and regular and I know she's asleep. I give up on grading tossing the paper and my pen onto the floor, reach over Ry and turn the light off before I adjust her so I can lay down. She stirs slightly but doesn't wake up, for some reason I'm not tired, so I lay there thinking about the first night that Ryleigh and I spent together. Even after all these years it still makes me smile.

Seven Years Ago

Ryleigh rolls off of me panting, Brad had been right about one thing she is good in bed, the sex is pretty much mind-blowing. "Wow." She pants.

"No kidding." I agree, I turn my head so I can see the clock, "As much as I'd like to do that again it's getting late and you have to be up early tomorrow." Ry props herself up on her elbow pulling the sheet around her.

"You know what, I should probably just head back to my dorm." She starts to get out of bed, I grab her arm,

"Ryleigh it's almost 2:30, you aren't going back to your dorm." She looks at me and I can tell there's something wrong, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. It's stupid." She replies, "It'll just be easier if I go back so we can both get some sleep."

"Do you think I invited you back here just to have sex and then send you on your way?" I question. "I want you to spend the night with me, the whole night, in my bed."

"This is going to sound really stupid, but I have a really hard time spending the night in a bed that's not mine." She explains, "I can't explain why, it's always been that way. And I don't want to keep you up all night."

"Why don't you just try? If you can't sleep I'll stay up with you." Ry thinks for a second,

"Ok, but I warned you." She settles back down not bothering to put her clothes back on which is fine by me, I turn the light off and roll over pulling her into my arms. She moves around for a second, "Can you lay on your back?" I let her go rolling over onto my back, she then snuggles in super close under my arm, her left arm across my stomach, one leg slightly over mine her head on my chest.

"Is this better?" I ask as I play with her hair.

"I think so." she says she already sounds sleepy, I move my hand down her back rubbing it softly.

"I love you." I tell her, when she doesn't answer I know she's asleep. The alarm going off a few hours later wakes both of us up, sometime during the night Ry ended up nestled up in my arms, her back against my chest. "Did you sleep ok?" I ask, reaching one arm over to smack the alarm.

"You know what I did. I actually slept really good." She leans in for a kiss,

"Good." I pause, "If you want me to come with you this morning I will."

"If you want to that would be great but I don't want you to feel like you have too." She replies.

"I want too. But I need a shower first, want to join me?" She nods smiling at me,

"I can't turn that down." Somehow Nick and I got picked in the housing lotto to get one of the few two bedroom two baths apartments for grad school students it works out perfectly for situations like this. I get out of bed go in the bathroom adjust the water and then pull her in with me.

"You know this is something I could definitely get used too." I tell her as we stand under the warm water, she stands on her tiptoes for a kiss, without thinking about it I push her up against the wall as the kiss gets more passionate.

"We're going to be late if we keep this up." Ry moans in between kisses. I know I should stop, but I can't so I pick her up keeping her against the wall as she wraps her legs around me.

"Then we'd better make this quick." I groan into her neck. Somehow twenty minutes later the two of us are both clean and out of the shower getting dressed. Even though for some reason it's getting harder and harder to keep my hands off of her, it's like I can't get enough of her. She sits on the edge of the bed putting her shoes on, I don't know how she does it but she pulls off the whole sweet while still being sexy thing to perfection. She's wearing a dark gray dress with a black belt around the middle, it falls to just above her knees, black tights and black heels her dark hair pulled back. The dress is fitted just enough that I can see all her curves and it makes her ass look amazing.

"You're staring at me." Ryleigh says standing up smoothing out her dress. I finishing buttoning my shirt, tucking it into my khakis, before pulling a sweater on and fixing my collar.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are." I tell her, as I help her with her coat,

"And you're charming." She returns.

"Just being truthful." We make it to mass with about ten minutes to spare. The only way to describe Ry's family is huge, it's huge and eclectic. I had met all of them almost as soon as we started talking, everyone had been super welcoming and super nice, which is a nice change from some of the other girls I've dated. Ry's parents got divorced when she was three and Will had just turned five, her mom Rachel got remarried to Tom when Ry was six, he brought along his six year old son Spencer from a previous marriage. James, Ryleigh's dad got remarried to Carrie when Ry was in high school, they never had any kids so Carrie just considers Ry and Will her own kids. Her mom's sister Vivian and her dad's brother Dave also both live in Boston rounding out the family. The only downfall is Ry being the only girl everyone is super over protective of her, her dad especially. He's as intimidating as they get, and I'd hate to be on his bad side.

"Sorry we're late." Ry says sliding in the pew next to Spencer, her entire family goes to church every Sunday, everyone, parents step-parents, aunts , uncles the whole list. The only one missing is Will who goes to school out of state.

"It's ok sweetheart." Rachel says. Ry shrugs her coat off and sits down next to me, I almost instantly put my right arm around her resting my hand on her hip, she smiles at me putting her left hand on my knee. Her best-friend Natalie who is also dating Spencer leans over, out of everyone Natalie was the hardest to win over and the most critical.

"You two a thing yet?" She asks, Spencer rolls his eyes at her, Ry nods, "Good it's about time." Natalie remarks settling back into her seat. After church everyone goes to brunch, I hadn't planned on going but Rachel insisted. It's when I'm sitting there that I realize how different things are with Ry. I've never told another girl I love them, I've never felt that way and I'm not one to lie about it. Ry is the first girl I've ever wanted to spend the night and every night in my bed. And she's definitely the first girl whose family treated me like another family member and not just someone who was dating their daughter. It hits me after a while that this whole time something has been missing in my life and that Ry is definitely that missing piece.

Present Time

I smile to myself remembering, after that night Ry was in my bed at least four nights out of the week, eventually it became every night which was fine by me. Three years later when she graduated we decided moving in together was the next logical step, every since that first night Ry has slept the same way. I'm so used to it on the rare occasion we don't sleep together I have a hard time sleeping without her next to me. I still can't believe that your life can change so much in forty-eight hours, they were completely incredible and I'll remember it for the rest of my life. I pull Ry in closer, rest my head against hers and close my eyes.

-Kate-

I disconnect the phone and shake my head in disbelief I can't imagine I let Two-Bit talk me into doing this, I sigh and head back to the kitchen. Darry has been doing work in the office all morning, Soda and Pony are both still sleeping, I pause when I get to the door. Ry and Paige must have gotten up while I was on the phone, they are both sitting at the table talking sipping coffee. "Morning you two." I greet.

"Morning Kate." They say in unison. I'm glad they are both here, I don't get a lot of girl time. I work to much and when we aren't working I try and spend as much time as I can with Darry. A few months ago we decided to start trying for a baby, the business is making good money now and we can afford it. However it hasn't happened yet and I'm starting to get worried, having Ry and Paige here is definitely a welcome distraction. Paige studies something on Ryleigh's phone,

"Natalie looked so pretty." She says, "I bet you were a wreck."

"A little bit there were some tears." She replies, I sit in the other seat and she slides her phone across the table, "This is from Spencer and Natalie's wedding." I study the screen,

"Look how gorgeous you two are." I say, "Where are they living now?" I ask, handing Ry back her phone.

"Atlanta. Spencer got a job with the CDC and Nat is teaching at a private school in Buckhead." She tells me, "Who were you talking to this early?" I groan,

"It was Two-Bit and he asked me to host a small girls only get together tonight for Marcia, and I agreed." Paige and Ry both look at me, "While the guys are golfing."

"Is this like a bachelorette party?" Paige questions. I shrug pouring myself a cup of coffee than stirring in cream and sugar,

"I'm not sure, I guess so maybe. He said she was upset he went out with the guys last night and are going out again tonight, maybe she feels left out." I pause, "Either of you know anything about hosting a bachelorette party?" Ry smirks,

"I've been to my fair share. The good ones almost always have three things strippers, copious amounts of alcohol and food." Ry tells us.

"Strippers huh? What kind?" Paige questions.

"I've seen cops, fireman, cowboys. One person had a space theme thing, that was weird." Ry pauses, "Fireman are my personal favorite." She looks around the house, "You have a door you don't need or want?"

"Um not that I know of, why?" I say almost afraid to ask. Ry looks at me,

"If you have a fireman stripper they'll kick the door down and be like where's the fire."

"Just say no Kate." Pony warns coming into the kitchen. I know he's my brother-in-law but it's pretty hard to ignore that he grew into being quite a good-looking man, must run in the family. The not wanting to wear a shirt gene must be in the family too, since right now all he's wearing is a pair of pajama pants. "Ry's got a thing for someone who can kick doors down." Ry nods,

"It's hot." She agrees, she turns and looks at him, "You're hot too." Pony rolls his eyes as he leans against the counter making a cup of coffee. "I love you." She adds.

"Would you love me more if I went and kicked down a door?" Ry ponders for a second or two, Paige giggles.

"I mean it would be hot,like that one time when we first moved in and were doing renovations..." Pony puts his hand over her mouth,

"Ryleigh no one needs to hear that story." Paige shakes her head,

"I actually disagree I very much need to hear that story." She replies. I have to laugh at the three of them. Pony moves his hand giving Ry a super sweet kiss before sitting down next to her to finish his coffee.

"It's probably to late to get strippers anyways." Ry says, "Unless you know some guys that would dress up and strip." She smiles and gives Paige a playful nudge, "I bet we could talk Soda into doing it." This is actually probably true, Soda doesn't really have a lot of inhibitions, he'd probably do it just for laughs.

"Talk me into doing what?" he asks coming into the kitchen, shirtless wearing just a pair of jeans. Apparently no one feels the need to wear shirts today.

"Stripping." Paige replies like someone just asked about the weather.

"Stripping." Soda repeats, he squats down next to her, "For you?" He gives her the eye and for the first time since I've known her Paige gets visibly flustered, I'm glad to see the two of them made up. "Cause you know babe that isn't a problem." Ry giggles, Soda smiles at Ry before giving Paige a long kiss.

"On that note." I say interrupting them before we all get a show, "It's to late to get strippers so that's out. What are the other things Ry?"

"Food and alcohol, lots of alcohol." She supplies.

"We can definitely do that." I tell them, "We need to stop by and pick up Cherry, so she can help since she's the maid-of-honor." I silently hope this is ok with Ry, not sure how she feels about spending the day with a girl that her soon to be husband was into, she doesn't even flinch so I figure it's ok. "Figure we'll leave in about an hour." Both girls nod, I leave them going down the hall to get a shower.

"Who was on the phone honey?" Darry calls from the closet.

"Two-Bit." I tell him, "And he somehow managed to talk me into hosting a party for Marcia tonight." Darry sticks his head out of the closet. "I'm a sucker I know."

"No you're just to nice." He replies. "I got to drop some blueprints off at the office." I think for a second,  
"Take your brothers with you, I'm taking Paige and Ry with me." He nods,

"Ok honey. We'll work on making a baby tonight when we get home." He says giving me a kiss before leaving the bedroom. I take a quick shower and get dressed going back into the living room, both Paige and Ry are there fully dressed. I look at Ry for a second, she's wearing a long sleeve Red Sox t-shirt with "Harris" printed across the back,

"When you get married you'll have to get a new shirt." I mention, Ry looks at me for a second with a weird expression on her face, "Your shirt says Harris." I explain.

"Oh ." She says nodding, "Right I forgot." she adds sort of laughing it off.

"Ok. You two ready?" Both girls stand up and grab their stuff and follow me out to the car.


	6. Chapter 6

-Kate-

Getting what we needed for the party took longer than I had expected, we had to wait a few minutes for Cherry in her driveway because there was no way I was getting out, I've had the displeasure of dealing with Randy a few times and I was not interested in a repeat act. Cherry had gotten in the car, red eyed, puffy face, and sniffling dead giveaway that she had been crying, she had stayed virtually silent for the first hour or so but then she started warming up, and was talking and smiling. Then we had to stop so Ryleigh could get some souvenirs for one of her best-friend's kids, while we were in the mall Paige and Ry stumbled across a massive shoe sale which set us back even further. I open the door to the house and freeze when I see who is standing in the foyer, "How's it going Kate?" Dal greets, grinning at me, he gives me a super quick super rare hug, he's never really been the affectionate type.  
"Things are good." I reply. After Dally did the time for the armed robbery and a concealed weapon charge he high-tailed it out of Tulsa, quick. He stopped by and told Darry there were to many memories here, then he left. He bounced around for a while before settling in Toronto he's got a pretty good job as a crane operator for a construction company. Not to long after he left he called asking for Pony's number, the two of them had never been particularly close but after Johnny, Dally turned to him, makes sense they had been the closest to Johnny, and Pony understood more than the rest of us what Dal was dealing with.

"Hope you don't mind us just dropping in like this, we were gonna get a hotel but Darry said y'all have room." I nod,

"No of course you can stay here." I move out of the way as Ry comes in behind me dropping her bags,

"This is the first and probably the last time you'll ever hear me say this, but I think I bought to many shoes." She smiles at Dally, "Glad you could make it."

"What's up Ry?" He says giving her a one arm hug.

"Not a thing. Did Annie make it with you?" I know Dal and his girlfriend Annie have made the trip to Boston a few times to visit them, I had met Annie once when Dally had to come back to Tulsa to take care of some things. She's done wonders for him.

"Yeah, she's laying down long car trip." He explains, Paige comes through the door a few minutes later placing her bags on the floor, she pauses and smiles when she realizes there is company.

"Paige this is Dallas, Dal this is Paige, Soda's girlfriend." Paige smiles widely and holds out her hand,

"It's so nice to finally meet you, I've heard so much about you." Dal grins at her, as he shakes her hand.  
"I can only imagine." He says with his trademark smirk, he glances behind me where Cherry is frozen in the door looking like she's just seen a ghost. "It's been a long time, huh, Cherry." She nods,

"It has." She replies softly. Darry comes in out of his office, he spends more time in there, I definitely get where Paige is coming from, Darry may not ditch me for his friends but work definitely comes first.

"I was wondering what was taking you guys so long." He says,

"We had to make a few pit-stops, can you get the rest of the stuff out of the car?" It takes him and Dal two trips to get all the food and all the alcohol out of the car and into the kitchen. Ry and Paige go to put their new shoes away, Cherry goes into the living room to start setting up extra chairs, and Dal goes to check on Annie.

"Are you feeding an army, Kate?" Darry asks looking around, "Or supplying a bar? How much did all this cost?" Even though the two of us are totally comfortable in our current financial situation, Darry constantly worries about money, it's a deep seeded issue with him, and because I know why, and where it comes from I don't get onto him about it to much.

"It didn't cost us anything." I inform him, opening the fridge, "Ryleigh paid for the alcohol and Paige bought the food." I don't bother telling him that Cherry had absolutely been under the assumption that she was going to pay, being the maid-of-honor and all, and had nearly had an anxiety attack when she realized there was no way she could. I know some of what is going on with Cherry and Randy. I know Randy has a serious gambling problem and rumor is, is that he's in deep with some loan sharks. Cherry told me a while back that her parents refuse to give them anymore money and any money Randy's parents give them he uses to gamble. She's in a sink or swim situation, when they first got married Randy insisted that no wife of his was going to work, so now she's scrambling to find a job, and hasn't had much luck. I know from Two-Bit who had to help her one day that, they've sold ninety percent of their stuff to help pay the mortgage but at this point foreclosure is pretty much inevitable, Randy is barely holding onto his job at the bank and the only reason he hasn't gotten let go yet is because of his dad. Cherry is trying to find a way to divorce him but lawyers aren't cheap, I had mentioned she should talk to Ryleigh but Cherry is still nervous around her.

"Soda and Pony know that?" Darry questions.

"No idea, that's between them." I pause, "Now get out of the kitchen so I can do what I need to do." He stands up leans in and gives me a kiss. "What is the plan for you guys tonight?"

"We were supposed to go golfing but Two-Bit didn't realize he needed to set up a tee-time." He tells me.

"Are you kidding? It's Two-Bit so of course you aren't, so what are you doing now?" I'm hoping he doesn't tell me they are hanging out around the house.

"Mini golf." He says, "Two-Bit is so eager to impress Marcia's dad, I kinda feel bad for him."

"Well then many mini golf will do the trick." I point to the door, "Go."

"We'll see you girls at the bar right?"He asks pausing by the door, on top of this last minute party Marcia decided this morning that she wanted to move the bachelor/bachelorette party to tonight so no one is hung over at the wedding.

"We'll be there." I tell him. The guys leave about two hours later with Marcia and the girls arriving shortly after that.

-Ryleigh-

I grew up with money, but do I feel the need to talk about it no. Ever since these girls who Marcia introduced quickly and then said they were her bridesmaids arrived all they've done is talk about money, it's all about how much money their husbands make, how much their house is worth, what their husband bought them, where they are going on vacation next, what kind of car they want. There's a part of me that really wants to stand up and tell them all to shut the hell up. "Well Scott, isn't good for much but he did just bring home a $45,000 bonus so guess who is getting a new Lexus." One of them said, I didn't take the time to listen nor did I care to learn their names.

"Oh my God I am so jealous." Another wails in despair, Paige leans in so Annie and I can hear her,

"I am betting one all of them were cheerleaders and two they all hate each other behind their backs." Both Annie and I nod in agreement, I think out of everyone I've spent the most time with Annie, we don't talk every day but we talk occasionally, we both have super similar backgrounds so we sort of get each other. I hear the house phone ring and than Kate who has made herself scarce for most the evening mostly sticking to the kitchen sticks her head out,

"Ryleigh the phone is for you." I stand up, I had left my cell in the bedroom.

"Excuse me a second." I say,

"I think it's your mom, or Carrie." Kate tells me. I had given my mom Kate's number as an in case of emergency number, so I'm a little nervous as I pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Ryleigh I have been trying to get a hold of you, why didn't you answer?"

"Hi mom." I reply, "Everything ok?" I sit down at the table and pop an olive in my mouth,

"The Hyatt called the one at the Harbor."

"For what?" I question. Kate looks at me, I shrug in response.

"They had a cancellation, did you want me to go ahead and put a deposit down?" I had done next to no wedding planning, but one day I had, had lunch with my mom and she insisted I go look at the Hyatt, she had gone to a wedding there and was convinced that it was just what I was looking for. As usual my mom had been right, it had been perfect, except for the fifteen month waiting list. I gave it up as a lost cause, but mom gave them her number just in case.

"Yes." I reply automatically. Mom laughs, "What? Why are you laughing?"

"It's for July." I think for a second,

"Like July of next year, I don't want to wait that long."

"No July in like three months the cancellation was for July 20th. I know it's soon but."  
"No go ahead and book it."

"Don't you think you should I don't know maybe talk to Pony first?" Mom questions. Both of us agree on the fact that we don't want a long engagement.

"He's out, but it'll be fine trust me." I can hear mom jotting stuff down in the background, my need to organize comes straight from her.

"Just the reception right? You are still planning on a church wedding?"

"Yeah. Pony can handle that since he's faculty it won't be an issue."

"Ok...I'll go ahead and put the deposit down tomorrow. You know sweetheart this means we are going to have to start planning seriously when you get back, we need to figure out times and dresses."  
"Yes mom I know, and thank you. I love you."

"I love you too sweet-pea, I'll let you go. Tell Pony we love him too. And Paige and Kate, just tell everyone."  
"I will mom." I hang up the phone, Kate looks at me,

"Everything ok?"

"We're getting married July 20th so don't make any plans." I tell her, she squeals and immediately pours me a drink.

-Paige-

Ry comes back in a few minutes later retaking her seat between Annie and I. Up until today I had never met Annie, I had heard about her, she's absolutely adorable. Blonde, cute, bubbly and she's an incredible photographer. She had showed us some of her portfolio, apparently she had gotten offered a pretty big gig in Europe photographing models, but had turned it down because Dally wasn't comfortable with her being around naked men for two weeks. If that's not love. We had talked briefly about my issue with Soda, Annie had totally understood and was in a pretty similar situation, but she said she's used to it and at this point she knows Dal is going to do what he wants to do. "Mom told me to tell you she loves you." Ry tells me.

"Awwwww. I love her too." I reply. The only thing I envy Ryleigh for is her family, she has the one thing I want, the one thing I've never had. A big, crazy, chaotic family that argues and fights but genuinely love each other. My family screams dysfunctional, my mom and I use that term loosely got pregnant at sixteen by some guy who was passing through Chicago with a fair, they had a two week fling and three weeks after he left mom realized she was pregnant. As far as I know she never told him, and he has no idea about me. Needless to see she wasn't really thrilled with the prospect of having a baby, and opted to let my grandparents raise me. She was in and out of my life for the first five years until my grandfather put his foot down, I didn't hear from her again after that. My Aunt Donna hears from her occasionally, she's currently living in Florida with her husband and their four kids, not going to lie it stings a little. Grandpa passed away two months after I graduated high school, grandma following him six weeks after I turned twenty-one. I still talk to Aunt Donna but she's busy with her own life up in Michigan. Really until I met Soda, I felt like I had no one, and then when we started dating and even before then his family welcomed me with open arms. Ryleigh knows my feeling about family and whenever we go and visit them in Boston, she makes sure I get my fill of family time with her family. We've gone to sporting events, the zoo, the aquarium, fishing, all kinds of stuff, her family is all of our family now and I think it's amazing. Annie looks at her,

"Why do you look so happy?" She asks, Ry literally can't keep the smile off her face.

"We're getting married July 20th." She replies gleefully, Annie and I both squeeze her in a hug between the two of us.

"I can't wait. I'll put in for vacation as soon as I get home." I tell her, this wedding is going to be a huge deal for both her family, she is the only girl and Pony's since Darry didn't have a wedding, and I doubt if Soda and I get married we'll have one.

"If you don't already have a photographer I'd love to do it." Annie tells her, I glance at the other girls who are still deep in conversation about how the doctor swore Brent's Viagra would work, but so far no luck.

"That would be great." Ry replies, "I suppose I should probably tell Pony. I nod,

"You may want too." Kate sticks her head in the door,

"Food is ready." I am not going to lie when all the girls and Marcia leave as soon as we eat saying something about some party at the country club, I am glad to see them go. The bragging and constant carrying on was wearing on my last nerve and I'm pretty patient. Cherry didn't go and wasn't invited is sitting on the couch looking crestfallen, I hope to God she realizes those girls are not her friends. Kate told us Cherry had grown up with them, but they definitely think they are above her you could tell by the way they acted and talked to her. Kate comes out and sits next to her,

"Did you want to ask Ryleigh now?" She asks softly, Ry looks up hearing her name. Annie has been showing us pictures of her niece who just turned two months old and is absolutely precious, I'm pretty sure Ryleigh and I both have major baby fever now. Cherry shakes her head,

"Ask me what?" Ry asks putting her drink down on the coffee table and crossing her legs,

"How good of a lawyer are you?" Kate asks with a smile.

-Darry-

I can't believe we just got kicked off of a mini golf course, take that back I totally can. We hadn't even made it halfway through the course before one of the people who worked there, a cute little brunette who had the hots for Soda had to come and tell us we had gotten some complaints about using foul language and how someone had thought we were drinking. Two-Bit was definitely drinking, but he had been the only one. Her boss felt it was best if we just left, since there were children around and they didn't need to hear that kind of language. And then she slipped Soda her number, who was polite enough to wait till we were in the parking lot to throw it out. "It's still early at this point we might as well go back to the house and get something to eat before we go to the bar." I tell them. We had split into two cars, Steve and Two-Bit are both riding with Dally.  
"Sounds good to me I'm starving." Soda says from the backseat. I'm surprised when we get to the house the only car there is Kate's. "Maybe they already went out." Soda remarks, obviously reading my mind. Kate is in the kitchen making drinks when we walk through the backdoor,

"What are you handsome men doing home so early?" She asks giving me a rather passionate kiss, she's definitely been drinking.

"We came for food." Soda tells her, she motions towards the table.  
"Help yourself everyone but us and Cherry left." Two-Bit looks at her and cocks his head,

"Marcia left?" Kate nods,

"Yeah something about a country club party, and I'm pretty sure they aren't going to be meeting up with us later." Two-Bit looks crushed for a second, something that is totally not in his nature, I don't know what's the deal with him and Marcia but I can't see it ending well. Just as quickly he shakes it off,

"Oh well y'all are still coming right?" He asks putting his arm around Kate,

"Of course we are." She tells him, Kate is the most caring person I have ever met, it's one of her best qualities. "I have to say though those girls were horrible."

"But Scott got a $45,000 bonus and Brent's medication will kick in eventually." Paige says coming in the kitchen, "I have never wanted to smack someone so bad in my life." I like Paige, she is one of those people where what you see is what you get. She plays zero games and doesn't put on a show for people, she's also the only girl that ever gave Soda a challenge and he respects and appreciates her for it.

"I'm surprised they didn't ask to compare bank statements." Annie adds stopping at the kitchen door, she smiles at Dal who winks in response. Dal has never been big on relationships, him and Sylvia were broken up more than they were together, but something changed when he met Annie, he seems happier now, almost content.

"They were that bad?" Pony asks leaning against the counter, all three girls nod, "I see the West Side of Tulsa hasn't changed." Pony's life had done a total 180, and I don't think any of us could be prouder of him, and the person he's turned out to be. He somehow managed to get a bachelor's, a masters and a PhD from Harvard, get a kick ass job, buy a house, and get engaged without ever really changing who he is. He's still the same low-key, easy going guy, and he's remained humble and modest which probably wouldn't be the case for a lot of people.

"I'll totally come to Tulsa and go to court that's not a problem." I can hear Ry say as her and Cherry come into the kitchen, she pauses, "You guys are back early."

"Two-Bit over there got us kicked out of the mini golf place." Steve informs her jerking his thumb at Two-Bit who grins ear to ear. Ry nods,

"That's pretty impressive, I can't imagine that's an easy thing to do." Two-Bit beams with proud, "Since everyone is here I should tell everyone we're getting married July 20th." Pony looks at her,

"We are?" Ry nods,

"Mom called the Hyatt had a cancellation, if it's ok with you?" Pony gets this big ass grin on his face,

"I can't think of a better birthday gift." He tells her leaning down to kiss her.

"Drinks all around." Paige declares as Kate starts pulling glasses out of the cabinet.

-Pony-

Since we are all together we decide to head to the bar in one big group, Darry who has never been a big drinker and Cherry offered to DD, by the time we get there the place is packed. "Did you invite the whole city?" Soda asks Two-Bit loudly so he can hear him over the dull roar of the crowd.

"It was an open invitation." He replies accepting a beer from someone in the crowd. The place is a total dive, with the reputation to match. My senior year of high school two kids got stabbed out front, and there's a mile long list of other incidents to go along with that one. We shove our way through to one of the back rooms that hold the pool tables and a variety of various slot machines. It's a little bit less crowded and quieter back here, most people are at the main bar or on the dance-floor.

"This place is charming." Paige remarks looking around. The girls had been dressed up for the party but Kate had insisted they change into jeans before coming here. I didn't mind Ry looks as hot in jeans as she does in a dress, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to show her off a bit. And by the way Dally is wrapped around Annie and how tightly Soda is holding Paige around the waist, I'm guessing I'm not the only one who is thinking that.

"Do not go to the bathroom by yourself." Kate warns.

"Is the bathroom a hole in the floor, because that's the vibe I'm getting." Paige asks.

"You probably hit the nail on the head." Ry replies. We find a spot at the bar and order a round of shots. Soda leans over Paige so I can hear him,

"This place is like an ex-girlfriend nightmare." He tells me. I know exactly what he's talking about, we had spotted Sandy as soon as we walked in, she was hanging out with Evie and Sylvia. Steve and Evie broke up a few years ago, he had wanted to settle down and she didn't, so he ended it. From what Soda told me Evie tried a few times after that to get back with Steve but he wasn't having it. I didn't even know Sandy was back in town she has no contact with Soda at all. You could tell by Dal's reaction that he's not keen on seeing Sylvia again, she had played the heartbroken card when he left Tulsa after jail and then within a few days she was shacked up at Buck's with some guy. Besides those three, there a few of my ex-girlfriends, some random girls Soda dated, the only two girls Darry dated before Kate and some of Steve and Dally's flings. And a ton, a shit ton of Two-Bit's exes, he has more exes than anyone I know. He dates a girl till he's bored or she gets sick of his shit whichever comes first. I nod my head in agreement, Steve who is standing to my left next to Cherry elbows me nodding his head in the direction of a brunette walking in our direction. I groan when I see who it is,

"Oh I thought that was you." She shrieks in an annoyingly high pitched feminine voice. "It's been a long time. To long." She reaches in and gives me a hug which I only half-ass return.

"What's up Chelsea." I reply. The two of us dated for six months, Chelsea wanted more. She wanted the long distance thing, I didn't. A few times she hinted about getting engaged, that was never going to happen. My big mistake with her was having sex after that she got all weird and clingy, a few mutual friends told me she hasn't gotten over me. "How's it going?"

"Better now that I get to see you." She gives me a smile I'm sure she thinks is sexy, I can hear both Soda and Steve laughing behind me. "How long are you in town for?"

"I fly back to Boston on Tuesday morning." I reply, Ry who is sitting directly behind me kicks me hard in the back of the leg, "We. I mean we are flying back to Boston Tuesday morning." Chelsea has always been exceptionally dense so this goes right over her head, she takes a step closer putting her hand on my forearm. I'm going to get kicked again I think to myself.

"Well then we have plenty of time to catch up." She purrs. Now Ry is not a jealous person normally but she draws the line at touching which is totally something I agree with. I look down as Ry slides her right around around my waist, hooking her fingers through my belt-loop, then casually rests her left hand on my stomach. "Uh we're talking." Chelsea says, I slide my left hand down and give her butt a gentle smack.

"I don't think you've meet my fiancee. Have you?" I ask.

"Fiancee." Chelsea repeats, her eyes darting to Ryleigh's left hand. Her ring is just barely picking up the light from the dim bar, causing her ring to sparkle. "You're getting married."

"In July." I tell her this causes Chelsea to turn into a literal three year old, she stomps her foot and huffs before disappearing into the crowd.

"Damn Pony what the hell did you do to that girl?" Soda asks pulling himself away from Paige for a second. "You know what I don't want to know." He adds, going back to Paige who has made herself comfortable in his lap. I can clearly see Sandy across the bar staring. I look at Ryleigh,

"Have I told you, how hot you look tonight?" I ask giving her butt another smack a bit harder this time, she looks up biting down on her lower lip.

"How many exes do you have crawling around this place, that wants to get with you?" She asks, I spin her around till I'm sitting on the bar-stool and she's standing in front of me, we're almost eye level which is rare.

"A few." I reply, slipping my hands into the back pocket of her jeans edging her closer to me. "But you are the only person I want to get with." Ry shakes her head,

"You aren't going to talk your way out of this one." She says, "Even though you do look really sexy." This part is so low I have to lean into catch it. After all these years I know what Ry likes and I admit sometimes I use it for my advantage like tonight. "I feel like I need to mark my territory or something." She runs her fingers through my hair tugging ever slightly, as she leans in rubbing her face against mine. Ry loves stubble and since I have to shave for work, if I'm off or it's the weekend I don't, just for her.

"I love it when you're jealous." I say tilting my head to kiss her, I push both my hands into her pockets pulling her closer as the kiss deepens. Even though I don't want to, and it takes a bit of willpower I break the kiss pulling away from her. I almost moan when I realize her breath has quickened to almost a pant, I move in close to her ear and whisper, "I love you so much, and I want you so bad Ryleigh Jane." She makes a whimpering noise her fingers grasping the back of my button down. I press one more sweet kiss to her lips before turning her around, till her back is against my chest.

"I need to go to the bathroom." Paige announces, "Come with me Ry since I can't go by myself." I don't get why girls feel the need to go to the bathroom in groups. Ry turns around her lips finding mine, after a few more kisses all the girls heads towards the back of the bar to where the bathrooms are. As soon as the girls are out of earshot Steve turns towards me,

"She's hot as hell." He remarks,

"That's code for how much do you get it from her because Stevie over there isn't getting any." Dal informs us.

"She's pretty ladylike, I bet you don't get that much and it's boring." Steve says, I know he's baiting me, and even though I normally would have kept my mouth shut I take the bait.

"Actually Ryleigh likes it a lot, and she likes it rough." I tell them, downing the shot the bartender puts in front of me. Soda whips around,

"Rough? Like she wants you to smack her around?" He asks, I shake my head,

"No not like that." I pause a second, "She's more like the rougher the better, hold me down, pull my hair, up against the wall, smack her ass kind of stuff." All the guys are staring at me with matching shock expressions, not sure if it's because they all think I'm still a kid, or because Ryleigh is like the last person you'd think would want it that way. It had taken me off guard the first time she brought it up, but I'm willing to try anything with her at least once. Not that I hadn't be scared to death of hurting her, but we tried, we learned and now I've got making her scream down to an art. I shrug, grin at them and finish my beer.

-Annie-

The bathroom is actually worse than a hole in the floor like Paige had originally suspected, a hole would probably be cleaner. "Oh God this is gross." Paige says going into a stall the door on it is barely on the hinges. I think the bathroom was either yellow or a shade of green a long, long time ago. Most of the paint is peeling off and the rest is covered with graffiti, the only light is coming from the one dim light hanging over the sink. "I think I would have been better going behind a car."

"It probably would have been cleaner." Kate tells her.

"Do you know a Chris Simmons?" Paige calls, Kate and Cherry both think for a second,

"No why?" Kate asks,

"Apparently he doesn't have much down below, or at least that's what Cindy says." Paige comes out and goes about trying to wash her hands without touching the faucet.

"I need a cigarette." Ry says randomly.

"After all these years Pony still has that kind of effect on you?" Paige asks, wiping her hands on the front of her jeans. Ry nods,

"Yeah he does." She replies she still looks like she's dazed.

"He is pretty cute." I tell her, he's not my type but he's not unattractive not by a long shot.

"He's so hot." Ry says, she's practically swooning. "It's the whole, messy hair, glasses, stubble thing." Seeing her like this is pretty amusing I have to say.

"And the tattoos." Paige adds,

"Oh my God yes." Ry replies.

"I think you need more than a cigarette, you need a cold shower." Kate adds.

"I could go for some air." Paige says, "Lets go find you a cigarette and then we can go outside."

"Seriously lets get out of here before we catch herpes." Kate says as Paige kicks the door with her foot, and all of us rush through it before it closes so no one has to touch it. "Herpes is the gift that keeps on giving." The guys stop talking as soon as we get over, dead giveaway they are talking about us. Ry doesn't say anything just reaches her hand into Pony's pocket,

"Whoa baby what are you doing?" He asks holding his hands up, but he does nothing to actually stop her.

"Borrowing these." Ry says holding up his pack of cigarettes, she fishes around his pocket again, keeping her hand in there much longer than she needs too before pulling out a lighter. "And this." As soon as we are outside she pulls one out, lights it up and inhales.

"Oh shit give me one." Paige says holding out her hand, "I haven't smoked since I was like seventeen." Cherry shifts her weight from foot to foot, she's been acting strange since we got to the bar, actually it was more like since the guys got back.

"Can I tell you guys something?" She asks, Kate nods,

"Sure."

"I think I'm in love with Steve." Cherry blurts out. The four of us look at her, our mouths falling open.


	7. Chapter 7

-Kate-

"You guys can not say a word to anyone, not even Marcia knows." Cherry tells us, she's somehow managed to render the four of us completely speechless which is not an easy feat, by any means. We all shake our heads, Paige is the first one of us that's able to talk.

"Does he feel the same way?" She asks, Cherry turns as red as her hair. Dead giveaway. Paige nods knowingly, "Have long has this been going on for?" Paige questions, I am curious to hear the answer to this one, I spend a fair amount of time with both Cherry and Steve and I have no idea at all there was anything going on between them.

"A while." Cherry replies slowly,

"A while?" I repeat,

"It started with us just being friends, he spends a lot of time with Two-Bit, and up until a few months ago Marcia and I were always close." I knew this part, a week or so ago Cherry had mentioned over lunch one day how Marcia has changed a lot, and Cherry couldn't figure out why, and anytime she brought it up Marcia told her she was being ridiculous. "There were a lot of opportunities for Steve and I to hang out, get to know each other. Then a couple of months ago we, uh, we ended up in bed." Cherry pauses, "And we said immediately it was a one time thing and than..."

"It happened again?" Ryleigh supplies, Cherry nods,

"Yeah and it kept happening. Then a few weeks back, Steve told me he loves me, and I sort of, kinda freaked out, it wasn't supposed to be anything but a one night stand, friends with benefits at most." Cherry hesitates, "Then when I actually gave myself time to think about it, I realized my feelings for him had definitely changed."

"I think that's sweet." Annie tells her, "My one night stand ended up with me getting a stalker and having to file a restraining order against him."

"This I have got to hear." I tell her, Annie chuckles,

"Lord. Alright. I was doing this photo shoot for a popular clothing line that I'm not going to name, and one of the models Christian was super hot. Like on fire hot. One day we started chatting, and flirting and he invited me back to his hotel room for a drink, well one thing led to another and we ended up spending the entire weekend sleeping together." Annie shakes her head, "Before we even kissed we both agreed that neither of us wanted a relationship and it was literally only going to be sex. For some reason after that weekend Christian became obsessed, showing up at shoots, he broke into my apartment a few times, found out where my parents and my sister lived showed up at their houses. All sorts of crazy stuff, I had to move and change my number. It was a mess. My mom made me get a restraining order on him, but it never mattered to him."

"Wait does Dallas know about this?" I ask,

"He does. Actually a month or so after I changed my number and moved, I was at a bar with a bunch of friends and Christian showed up, drunk and high on something. He made this huge scene, tried to attack a few bouncers, Dally rescued me and took me home, and we've been together ever since." Annie pauses and smirks, "And no we didn't sleep together that night, I did think about it. But since Christian I have definitely learned my lesson." She looks around, "What about you Ryleigh? You must have done some crazy shit in college." Ryleigh leans against the building and thinks as she spins her engagement ring around her finger,

"Most of my crazy stuff was the summer before college, everyone sort of had this whatever attitude since most of us were going to be leaving come August." She starts, "I had always had this crush on Will's best-friend, Carter, and we decided that neither of us wanted a relationship so we might as well just have sex. It was an interesting summer to say the least."

"Does Will know?" Paige asks,

"He found out a few years back, him and Carter are still friends. But I've never had a one night stand, however I will say when I first started talking to Pony, that's pretty much all I wanted with him."

"Wait, what, all you wanted was to sleep with him?" Ryleigh nods,

"I had just dealt with Brad, a relationship was like the last thing I wanted. So that night at the party I was seriously just thinking about sleeping with him." Ry pauses and smiles, "Obviously that didn't happen, but it was definitely my first thought."

"You think if you had gone home with him that night, that you still would have ended up together?" Paige asks, "Because I can't see either one of you with someone else."

"I'd like to think so. By the end of that night I knew I was already falling for him, and the more we hung out, the more I knew I wasn't going to be able to just sleep with him and leave." Cherry sighs,  
"At first I wasn't sure if it was just the sex, because sex with Randy was horrible. So I thought well the sex is good maybe I'm confusing it with love." She grimaces, "How did you know you were in love?"

"Me?" Ry asks motioning towards herself, Cherry nods. "Wow. Um. Well thinking back now I have to say it was maybe two months after we started talking." Ry thinks for a second, "Pony had a hockey game, which I had been planning on going too, and the day of, he for lack of a better word basically forbid me to go. My first thought was that he had another girl who he was interested in who would be there and he didn't want our paths to cross. Which really wouldn't have mattered because it's not like we were dating."

"Let me guess there definitely wasn't another girl?" Paige remarks, Ry shakes her head,

"No. But I was convinced, so the next day when he called me I called him out on it. First he laughed at me, than he explained that his hockey buddies are pigs, and he didn't want to have to kill them for making inappropriate comments about me." Ry smiles, "Him being protective and whatnot was what made me realize that I was head over heels in love with him. It did take me four months to admit it to him, but that happens."

"Doesn't him playing hockey make you nervous?" I ask, I know it makes me nervous. Ry sort of smirks,

"He's been playing as long as I've known him, so over seven years." She starts, "At first it made me sort of nervous, but now I just think it's hot as hell." She admits. " It's almost like foreplay," She says sheepishly, "He comes home all sweaty and hot and all hyped up on adrenaline. You don't want to hear the rest, but it's definitely a turn on."

"I hear you, when Dal comes home from work all dirty and sweaty, I'm like we are going to do it right here and right now." Annie chimes in.

"What about you Paige how did you know you were in love?" Cherry asks,

"I had the flu. Bad. Fever, chills, throwing up the shebang. Soda and I had, had a date but that wasn't going to happen. I had literally hung up in his ear so I could go throw up. I crawl out of the bathroom to find Soda strolling in with ginger-ale, crackers, Tylenol, Gatorade, water, anything I could want." Paige smiles to herself, "He sat with me the whole night, held my hair when I threw up, went out and got me soup, changed my sheets, he never complained and was just incredible the whole night. I knew he loved me if he was willing to do that, and I knew I loved him because if I didn't I would have kicked him out." Paige pauses, "A week later though I was taking care of him when he caught it."

"The flu, that's romantic." Ryleigh tells her smiling. Paige nods,

"Almost as romantic as sitting in the hospital for two days with a concussion from playing hockey." Ry wrinkles up her nose,

"Don't remind me, that was a horrible two days while trying to study for the Bar Exam." She looks at Cherry, "I think you should tell him, you love him too." Annie and Paige nod in agreement.

"I wouldn't know how to do it, and plus I'm still technically married." She says slowly,

"You've already decided to divorce him, I'd tell Randy to peace out, pack my shit and move out." Annie tells her, "Life is to short to be unhappy."

"I've thought about moving out but I have nowhere to go." Cherry replies, "My mom is against the whole divorce thing, she says I'm a failure I couldn't even make my marriage work. And if she knew I was with Steve she'd disown me. My whole family would." Cherry sighs, "I asked Marcia if I could stay with her for a while and she told me no. She said she had tried to warn me about Randy and I am getting what I deserve." I think all of us are sort of shocked by this. It's no secret that Marcia is a bit standoffish, and pretty stuck up, but I had no idea she was so hateful. It's beyond me why Cherry agreed to be her maid-of-honor, and why Marcia even asked. I imagine she probably felt obligated to ask, and Cherry felt obligated to say yes.

"You can stay with us." I say, "It's crowded right now but after Tuesday you can have a bedroom and bathroom to yourself, you wouldn't have to pay anything, you could get back on your feet, somewhere safe."

"You'd do that for me?" Cherry asks quietly. I nod,

"Of course. That's what friends do."

"Once the wedding is over, I'll pack what I have left and come stay with you, I really appreciate it Kate." Cherry pauses, "I just wish I hadn't asked Randy to go to the wedding with me." Paige, Ryleigh and Annie all exchange looks, no doubt they are thinking the same exact thing.

"I'm sure things with work out." I say, Paige nods,

"Of course they will, things are already looking up." Ryleigh puts her arm through Paige's, "I could use another drink, let's get back in there." We all nod, as we go back into the bar and may our way to where the guys are.

-Soda-

Once the girls are out of earshot, Pony turns towards me with a huge grin on his face, "You and Paige see each other for an hour a day, how much are you possibly getting?" He asks. I shrug,

"Well, since you asked. I'll tell you guys that Paige is really into public sex, we do it wherever and whenever." I leave out the part how this has put us into some pretty precarious situations, one where both of us almost got arrested, thankfully the cop had a good sense of humor. "We make it work." I order another round of shots from the bartender, a big burly guy named Gerry, who had been friends with Darry back in high school, and has always had the hots for Kate. After we've all chugged them, I turn towards Dal, "What about Annie what's she into?"

"Anything. Everything, and what ever is in between." He replies with a snide smirk. This is when I know how much Dally has changed, had it been years back and we were talking about Sylvia or any of the other girls he screwed around with he would have willingly given us a slew of dirty details, and painted a super graphic mental image. His lack of information makes it clear how much he cares about Annie, and should I dare say respects her.

"Kate is really into shower sex." Darry volunteers, loudly. Loudly enough for Gerry who is lingering behind us at the bar to hear. Pony and I exchange looks,

"Did not need to hear about that." I tell Darry, it's like hearing about your parents having sex. Yes I know they do it, I know that all to well. One day Kate and Darry thought they were alone and decided to get down and dirty on the couch, I had walked in, saw way to much, and walked right back out wishing I could bleach my eyes.

"Yeah well Marcia likes to call me daddy." Two-Bit blurts out, "At first I thought it was hella strange, but now I'm like hell yeah I'll be your daddy, you bad, bad girl." Dal gives his this look, shakes his head and motions for another round of shots, which we all down immediately.

"That's creepy as fuck." Steve tells him, I have to agree with Steve on this one.

"Well at least I'm getting laid, unlike you." Two-Bit replies,

"Come on Stevie you got to be getting something." Dally prods, Steve shrugs,

"There's this girl I hook up with sometimes, but not every day." Back in the day, Steve and well pretty much all of us except maybe Pony and Darry would have been crowing about hooking up with a girl. But Steve seems almost ashamed by it.

"You spend a lot of time in the shower taking care of business yourself, huh?" Two-Bit says as he goes to nudge him, but he's so drunk he almost falls over, the rest of us crack up.

"Well yeah when your mom isn't around." Steve replies sharply, Two-Bit cocks his head at him, and for a second I think he's going to hit him, Darry must too, as he steps in the middle diffusing the situation.

"Lets just leave moms out of it ok." He says he's trying not to laugh, how he put up with all of us without killing someone amazes me, we weren't the easy bunch that's for sure. Couple minutes later Tim and Curly show up, Tim's girlfriend Brandi in tow, everyone in Tulsa knows Brandi most of the guys know her quite personally. I know for a fact Two-Bit, Steve, and I think Dally had a go with her, Darry had told both Pony and I if we even thought about it he'd personally beat the shit out of us. Her ending up with Tim doesn't surprise me in the least, Pony who is next to me groans when Angela comes up behind them. I still to this day have no idea how he didn't realize she was so into him, she made an ass of herself throwing herself at him, and Pony just ignored her. I'd wager that he was the first guy who ever did that, it's not like Darry and I would have ever let him get serious with her. That girl is bad news.

"Figured you two would be locked up by now." Dally greets shaking Tim's hand.

"And miss this shit. Hell no." Tim replies, he greets the rest of us with a handshake. While Curly stands there with this stupid look on his face, he's easily the dumbest person I've ever met. I lean over towards Pony who is doing his best to avoid making eye contact with Angela,

"Looks like she wants to finish what she started with you." I tell him. She's looking at him the way a starving dog looks at food, I can only imagine how thrilled Ryleigh will be about that.

"There is not enough alcohol in the world." He replies. The girls find their way back in a few minutes later, Ry stops in between the two of us, she hands him back his cigarettes and lighter. "This was a full pack how many did you smoke?" He asks an amused expression on his face, Ry shrugs,

"A few. Paige and Annie helped." She tells him, with a smile. "Besides aren't you quitting for like the eight-hundredth time since we met." Pony smirks, putting an arm around Ryleigh pulling her in close to him. Paige scoots herself in between me and Ryleigh, I wrap my arm around her waist and lean against her. Despite Tim being with his girlfriend, it doesn't stop him from gawking at Paige, Ry and Annie, he doesn't understand the meaning of the word subtle. Curly just stares with his mouth hanging open. Dal shoots both of them a dirty look before pulling Annie into his lap, they know all good and well not to even look at Kate or we'd be breaking up a fight.

"Let's play some pool." Two-Bit slurs, he almost falls over and uses Brandi's ass to steady himself, she doesn't seem to mind as she giggles at him. "For money." He adds tossing some money onto the bar.

"Marcia is going to kick your ass if you lose all your money." Steve warns him, I glance at him. He's on Pony's other-side, close to Cherry. I do a double take, they are seriously close to each other, she's almost leaning on him. I must really be drunk if I'm starting to think there is something going on between the two of them. Two-Bit waves his hand drunkenly,

"Whatever." He replies, he convinces, Ryleigh, Paige, Annie, Darry and Tim to play with him. Two-Bit sucks at pool when he's sober but when he's drunk he's even worse. Pony and I get another beer and sit down with Kate, Steve and Cherry to watch. After a few more shots, a couple games of pool, Gerry makes the last call announcement, and all of us head back towards Darry and Kate's house.


End file.
